Most affordable cities for renters in Iowa
Cities in Iowa ranked by lowest median rent. Includes cities with 15,000+ residents. Updated monthly.
Key findings
- Fort Dodge ranks first, with a median rent of $804/mo.
- Across all 25 cities on this list, the median rent is $1,282/mo.
Data as of September 2026. Median rent from RentDataNow's monthly city data (Zillow's rent index where Zillow covers the city). Rank a year ago compares the same cities' rent 12 months earlier. Updated monthly. Download this list (CSV)
Best value (RRS)Overheated (RRS)Most affordableMost expensiveRent fallingRent risingBest rent/incomeMost rent-burdenedRecord-high rentSeasonal swingsRent vs. income
25 cities
| Rank | City | Median rent | 1-yr change | 5-yr change | Rent/income | Vs. a year ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Fort DodgeIA | $804/mo | +9.5% | -- | 15.9% | same |
| 02 | WaterlooIA | $909/mo | +5.5% | +30.4% | 19.0% | same |
| 03 | NewtonIA | $947/mo | 0.0% | -- | 19.7% | -- |
| 04 | DavenportIA | $965/mo | +4.4% | +21.2% | 17.5% | ↓1 from #3 |
| 05 | BurlingtonIA | $983/mo | 0.0% | -- | 20.0% | -- |
| 06 | IndianolaIA | $1,034/mo | 0.0% | -- | 16.4% | -- |
| 07 | UrbandaleIA | $1,038/mo | +1.6% | -- | 11.0% | ↓3 from #4 |
| 08 | DubuqueIA | $1,073/mo | +4.1% | -- | 19.6% | ↓3 from #5 |
| 09 | Des MoinesIA | $1,129/mo | +1.0% | +15.2% | 20.5% | ↓2 from #7 |
| 10 | AmesIA | $1,240/mo | +1.0% | +19.5% | 24.4% | ↑1 from #11 |
| 11 | Sioux CityIA | $1,267/mo | +5.6% | -- | 22.1% | ↓1 from #10 |
| 12 | Cedar RapidsIA | $1,274/mo | +14.4% | +41.9% | 21.7% | ↓6 from #6 |
| 13 | CoralvilleIA | $1,282/mo | +10.8% | -- | 22.2% | ↓4 from #9 |
| 14 | MarionIA | $1,287/mo | +11.9% | +38.1% | 17.8% | ↓6 from #8 |
| 15 | Council BluffsIA | $1,335/mo | +2.9% | -- | 24.8% | ↓3 from #12 |
| 16 | West Des MoinesIA | $1,353/mo | +2.6% | +17.5% | 18.7% | ↓3 from #13 |
| 17 | JohnstonIA | $1,356/mo | +1.7% | -- | 15.3% | ↓3 from #14 |
| 18 | GrimesIA | $1,396/mo | +3.4% | -- | 14.0% | ↓2 from #16 |
| 19 | Cedar FallsIA | $1,405/mo | +4.6% | +23.4% | 21.9% | ↓4 from #15 |
| 20 | AnkenyIA | $1,464/mo | +1.9% | +19.7% | 16.2% | ↓2 from #18 |
| 21 | BettendorfIA | $1,466/mo | +5.1% | -- | 17.5% | ↓4 from #17 |
| 22 | AltoonaIA | $1,583/mo | +0.4% | -- | 22.1% | ↓1 from #21 |
| 23 | WaukeeIA | $1,640/mo | +5.6% | +19.6% | 19.5% | ↓4 from #19 |
| 24 | Iowa CityIA | $1,713/mo | +9.1% | +30.5% | 35.1% | ↓4 from #20 |
| 25 | North LibertyIA | $1,808/mo | +7.2% | -- | 21.2% | ↓3 from #22 |