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City · 62,586 residents · Pottawattamie County, Iowa

Council Bluffs , Iowa

In Council Bluffs, a typical home is worth $171,800 and typical rent is $1,030 a month. Compared with all of Pottawattamie County, typical household income is 12% lower, the typical home value is 12% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 7 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $171,800

    12% below the county

    17% below Iowa

    • Council Bluffs
    • Pottawattamie
    • Iowa

  • Typical rent

    $1,030a month

    About the same as the county

    6% above Iowa

    • Council Bluffs
    • Pottawattamie
    • Iowa

  • Typical household income

    $64,578a year

    12% below the county

    14% below Iowa

    • Council Bluffs
    • Pottawattamie
    • Iowa

  • Households that own their home

    63%

    7 points below the county

    9 points below Iowa

    • Council Bluffs
    • Pottawattamie
    • Iowa

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$227,901
2.6% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,335 a month
2.9% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Council Bluffs is in Pottawattamie County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Pottawattamie County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Council Bluffs apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in Red Oak, the typical home value is $99,700: 42% less than in Council Bluffs ($171,800).

  2. Nearby, in Clarinda, the typical rent is $660: 36% less than in Council Bluffs ($1,030).

  3. 63% of households in Council Bluffs own their home, against 70% in Pottawattamie County.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Council Bluffs

What homes there are in Council Bluffs, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

The detached house is still the most common home in Council Bluffs, but it weighs less than in Pottawattamie County: 69% against 76%.

Year built

The typical year built in Council Bluffs is 1965, about the same as in Pottawattamie County (1967).

Homes in Council Bluffs are smaller: 52% have 3 bedrooms or more; in Pottawattamie County, 59%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

About 98% of owner-occupied homes in Council Bluffs are worth less than the FHA loan limit for Pottawattamie County ($541,287).

Monthly rent with utilities

About 84% of rented homes in Council Bluffs cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent for Pottawattamie County ($1,450).

With a mortgage

$1,420 a month

Pottawattamie County: $1,495 a month

Without a mortgage

$611 a month

Pottawattamie County: $625 a month

Owners with a mortgage

61%

Pottawattamie County: 60%

Owning costs less in Council Bluffs: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $1,420 a month; in Pottawattamie County, $1,495. Without one, $611.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Council Bluffs rose 43% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Pottawattamie County (40%).

Rents in Council Bluffs rose at about the same pace as in Pottawattamie County: 22% since 2015–2019, against 21%.

The typical household income in Council Bluffs rose 21% over that time; home values changed +43% and rent +22%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureCouncil BluffsPottawattamie CountyIowaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate5.7%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room 2.2%1.7%1.6%3.4%
People per household 2.332.412.362.53
Drive alone 80%80%76%69%
Carpool 7%7%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike 2%2%3%3%
Work from home 8%10%11%15%
Other means 2%1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Much as in Pottawattamie County, 2.2% of households in Council Bluffs have more than one person per room.

A household in Council Bluffs has 2.33 people on average, about the same as in Pottawattamie County (2.41).

The car rules in Council Bluffs: 80% of workers drive to work alone, and the typical trip takes 10 to 19 minutes.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Council Bluffs?

A typical home is tight for the typical income

We start with a typical home in Council Bluffs, worth $171,800, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 29% of the typical household income in Council Bluffs, which is $64,578 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $66,221 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Pottawattamie County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Council Bluffs. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $6,013 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,545

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$168,688
Total interest
$242,703
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $2,901 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,507 a month

  • Tight

    $1,507 to $1,937 a month

    Your payment · 29%

  • Hard

    more than $1,937 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Council Bluffs ($64,578 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,545
Principal & interest$1,143
Property tax$255
Home insurance$72
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$76

You need at least $6,013 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie County

Council Bluffs is in Pottawattamie County, Iowa. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Council Bluffs's own numbers

Typical home value
$171,800
Typical monthly rent
$1,030
Typical yearly household income
$64,578
Households that own their home
63%
Effective property tax rate
1.78%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Pottawattamie County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,450
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+51%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
5.5%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Pottawattamie County.

Everything about Pottawattamie County

Buying

Buying a home in Council Bluffs

A typical home in Council Bluffs is worth $171,800: 12% below the county and 17% below Iowa. With the typical household income in Council Bluffs ($64,578 a year), a typical home costs 2.7 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Council Bluffs 2.7 years
  • Pottawattamie 2.7 years
  • Iowa 2.8 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Pottawattamie County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Pottawattamie County rose 88% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Pottawattamie County.

Period County Iowa U.S.
Last year (2025) +5.5% +3.2% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +51% +41% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +88% +65% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Council Bluffs next to Pottawattamie County, Iowa and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Council Bluffs $171,800
  • Pottawattamie $195,700
  • Iowa $208,000
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Council Bluffs $1,030
  • Pottawattamie $1,018
  • Iowa $972
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Council Bluffs $64,578
  • Pottawattamie $73,602
  • Iowa $75,059
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Council Bluffs next to Pottawattamie County and Iowa
Measure Council Bluffs Pottawattamie County Iowa U.S.
Typical home value $171,800 $195,700 $208,000 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,030 $1,018 $972 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $64,578 $73,602 $75,059 $80,734
Households that own their home 63% 70% 72% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $3,063 $3,067 $2,897 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.78% 1.57% 1.39% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 45% 45% 44% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Pottawattamie County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Council Bluffs

For a typical $171,800 home in Council Bluffs, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Council Bluffs's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,545a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $6,013
    Cash to close
    $11,167
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $76

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,514a month

    Down payment
    $8,590
    Cash to close
    $13,744
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $82

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,257a month

    Down payment
    $34,360
    Cash to close
    $39,514
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,416a month

    Down payment
    $25,770
    Cash to close
    $30,924
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Council Bluffs and for Pottawattamie County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Council Bluffs

1.78%of the home’s value each year

$3,063 a year for the typical owner in Council Bluffs.

  • Council Bluffs 1.78%
  • Pottawattamie 1.57%
  • Iowa 1.39%

What Iowa publishes Homestead exemption: 10% of taxable value (Iowa Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Iowa

Flood risk in Pottawattamie County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Pottawattamie County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
5.5%
2,286
Of those, with NFIP insurance
18%
County Iowa U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 5.5% 2.2% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 18% 14% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Council Bluffs

Typical rent in Council Bluffs is $1,030 a month: about the same as the county. In Council Bluffs, 45% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Pottawattamie County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,450 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $27.88 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Pottawattamie County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,167 $22.44 $46,680
1 bedroom $1,219 $23.44 $48,760
2 bedrooms $1,450 $27.88 $58,000
3 bedrooms $1,924 $37.00 $76,960
4 bedrooms $2,179 $41.90 $87,160

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Council Bluffs

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Council Bluffs has 2 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,230 in 51503 to $1,310 in 51501.

None is above the fair market rent for Pottawattamie County ($1,450).

  • 51501 $1,310$1,740
  • 51503 $1,230$1,630

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Council Bluffs when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Council Bluffs

HUD lists 34 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Council Bluffs. These are the largest.

  • Regal Towers 505 S 6th St, Council Bluffs 51501 210 homes, 209 low-income · Run by Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs · Average payment: $326 a month · Average wait: 5 months (712) 322-1491
  • Featherstone Apts 901 N 35th St, Council Bluffs 51501 147 low-income homes · 1 bd: 21 · 2 bd: 65 · 3 bd: 47 · 4 bd: 14 · In service since 1999 · For people with disabilities, families (712) 323-7555
  • The Bluffs Apts 2065 Nash Blvd, Council Bluffs 51501 124 low-income homes · 1 bd: 32 · 2 bd: 80 · 3 bd: 12 · In service since 1996
  • Chapel Ridge of Council Bluffs 4506 Chapel Ridge Ln, Council Bluffs 51501 160 homes, 112 low-income · 1 bd: 16 · 2 bd: 88 · 3 bd: 48 · 4 bd: 8 · In service since 2004 · For families
  • Woodbury Pines Townhomes 534 Woodbury Ave, Council Bluffs 51503 100 low-income homes · For families (712) 323-0383

See all 36 buildings in Pottawattamie County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Council Bluffs

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Pottawattamie County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A pregnant woman reads paperwork on the sofa while the grandmother plays with the girl on the floor.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Council Bluffs

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Council Bluffs or Pottawattamie County. The ones below are statewide in Iowa: they work in Council Bluffs the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Iowa

Housing counselors near Council Bluffs

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Council Bluffs, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Center for Siouxland

    715 Douglas St, Sioux City · 92 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 9 more
    (712) 252-1861

  • Home Opportunities Made Easy, Inc. (home, Inc.)

    1618 6th Ave, Des Moines · 118 miles away · Spanish

    • Home improvement and repairs
    • Homelessness services
    • and 5 more
    (515) 243-1277

  • Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity

    95 University Ave, Des Moines · 119 miles away

    • Pre-purchase counseling
    (515) 471-8686

All counseling agencies in Iowa

Help in Spanish near Council Bluffs

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Council Bluffs

HUD’s record names them for Council Bluffs or Pottawattamie County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (712) 322-1491

All housing agencies in Iowa Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Council Bluffs, with the typical home value.

Everything about Pottawattamie County Housing in Iowa

Neighboring counties

If Pottawattamie County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Council Bluffs.

All guides
A mother holds her laughing daughter on a grey sofa.

Questions

Housing questions about Council Bluffs

Short answers with the numbers for Council Bluffs and all of Pottawattamie County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Council Bluffs?

The typical home value in Council Bluffs is $171,800, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Pottawattamie County it is $195,700.

How much does it cost to rent in Council Bluffs?

Typical rent in Council Bluffs is $1,030 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Pottawattamie County is $1,450.

What is the FHA loan limit in Council Bluffs?

Council Bluffs uses the FHA limit for all of Pottawattamie County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Council Bluffs?

The typical homeowner in Council Bluffs pays $3,063 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.78% of the home’s value; in Pottawattamie County, the rate is 1.57%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Council Bluffs?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Pottawattamie County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).