Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Council Bluffs, Iowa
A $164,000 home here costs
$1,564per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.40% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $67,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $908. The real number is $655 higher every month, 72% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Pottawattamie County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Council Bluffs against Pottawattamie County and Iowa
| Measure | Council Bluffs | Pottawattamie County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $164,300 | $183,600 |
| Median property tax | $2,960 | $2,961 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.802% | 1.613% |
| Median gross rent | $980 | $970 |
| Population | 62,564 | 93,407 |
The weather behind that power bill
Council Bluffs sits in Pottawattamie County, which averages a high of 84.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 11.8°F in its coldest, with 36.43" of precipitation a year and 40% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 914 cooling and 6,555 heating degree days, which is what sets the $133 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Pottawattamie County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Pottawattamie County
Full Pottawattamie County cost breakdown · Every county in Iowa
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Council Bluffs averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Council Bluffs every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Council Bluffs I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Council Bluffs?
A $164,000 home in Council Bluffs, Iowa costs approximately $1,564 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $908 principal and interest, $246 property tax, $71 homeowners insurance, $201 utilities and $137 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Council Bluffs?
Council Bluffs has an effective property tax rate of 1.802%, based on a median home value of $164,300 and median real estate taxes of $2,960. That is higher than the Pottawattamie County average of 1.613%.
What is the average home price in Council Bluffs?
The median owner-occupied home value in Council Bluffs, Iowa is $164,300, against $183,600 across Pottawattamie County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Council Bluffs?
Median gross rent in Council Bluffs is $980 a month, against $1,564 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Council Bluffs?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Council Bluffs, Iowa at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $67,000 a year. That covers the full $1,564 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Council Bluffs, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Iowa.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.