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City · 7,206 residents · Linn County, Iowa

Hiawatha , Iowa

In Hiawatha, a typical home is worth $216,900 and typical rent is $855 a month. Compared with all of Linn County, typical household income is 15% lower, typical rent is 10% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 7 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $216,900

    About the same as the county

    4% above Iowa

    • Hiawatha
    • Linn
    • Iowa

  • Typical rent

    $855a month

    10% below the county

    12% below Iowa

    • Hiawatha
    • Linn
    • Iowa

  • Typical household income

    $66,270a year

    15% below the county

    12% below Iowa

    • Hiawatha
    • Linn
    • Iowa

  • Households that own their home

    67%

    7 points below the county

    5 points below Iowa

    • Hiawatha
    • Linn
    • Iowa

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$261,660
5.2% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$860 a month

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

Hiawatha is in Linn 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 Linn County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Hiawatha apart

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

  1. Nearby, in Anamosa, the typical home value is $172,600: 20% less than in Hiawatha ($216,900).

  2. 67% of households in Hiawatha own their home, against 74% in Linn County.

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

The homes here

Housing in Hiawatha

What homes there are in Hiawatha, 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

No kind of home is the majority in Hiawatha; the largest group, detached houses, adds up to 48%, less than in Linn County (67%).

There are more mobile homes here than in Linn County: 11% of homes, against 3%.

Year built

Homes in Hiawatha are newer: the typical year built is 1992; in Linn County, 1978.

Much as in Linn County, 61% of homes in Hiawatha have 3 bedrooms or more.

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

The FHA limit for Linn County is high ($541,287): at least 89% of owner-occupied homes in Hiawatha are worth less than $500,000.

Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,686 a month

Linn County: $1,584 a month

Without a mortgage

$686 a month

Linn County: $693 a month

Owners with a mortgage

60%

Linn County: 65%

In Hiawatha, 60% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $1,686 a month, against $1,584 in Linn County. Without one it drops to $686.

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 Hiawatha rose 51% since 2015–2019, more than in Linn County (37%).

Rents in Hiawatha rose more slowly than in Linn County: 11% since 2015–2019, against 24%.

To compare: typical income in Hiawatha rose 38%; the home, +51%; the rent, +11%.

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

MeasureHiawathaLinn CountyIowaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate9.4%5.7%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.7%0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.1%1.6%3.4%
People per household 2.422.352.362.53
Drive alone 79%76%76%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate6%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate1%1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate2%3%3%
Work from home 11%15%11%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Much as in Linn County, a household in Hiawatha has 2.42 people on average.

To get to work, 79% of workers in Hiawatha drive alone; in Linn County, 76%.

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 Hiawatha?

A typical home is tight for the typical income

We start with a typical home in Hiawatha, worth $216,900, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 35% of the typical household income in Hiawatha, which is $66,270 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $83,373 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Hiawatha. 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 $7,592 (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

$1,945

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$212,971
Total interest
$306,415
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $3,663 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,546 a month

  • Tight

    $1,546 to $1,988 a month

    Your payment · 35%

  • Hard

    more than $1,988 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Hiawatha ($66,270 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,945
Principal & interest$1,443
Property tax$316
Home insurance$90
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$96

You need at least $7,592 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

Hiawatha and Linn County

Hiawatha is in Linn 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).

Hiawatha's own numbers

Typical home value
$216,900
Typical monthly rent
$855
Typical yearly household income
$66,270
Households that own their home
67%
Effective property tax rate
1.75%

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

Numbers for all of Linn County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,054
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+38%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.2%

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 Linn County.

Everything about Linn County

Buying

Buying a home in Hiawatha

A typical home in Hiawatha is worth $216,900: about the same as the county and 4% above Iowa. With the typical household income in Hiawatha ($66,270 a year), a typical home costs 3.3 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.

  • Hiawatha 3.3 years
  • Linn 2.8 years
  • Iowa 2.8 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Linn County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Linn County rose 56% in the 10 years through 2025.

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

Period County Iowa U.S.
Last year (2025) +3.0% +3.2% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +38% +41% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +56% +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

Hiawatha next to Linn 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
  • Hiawatha $216,900
  • Linn $214,300
  • Iowa $208,000
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Hiawatha $855
  • Linn $945
  • Iowa $972
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Hiawatha $66,270
  • Linn $77,649
  • Iowa $75,059
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Hiawatha next to Linn County and Iowa
Measure Hiawatha Linn County Iowa U.S.
Typical home value $216,900 $214,300 $208,000 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $855 $945 $972 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $66,270 $77,649 $75,059 $80,734
Households that own their home 67% 74% 72% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $3,802 $3,547 $2,897 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.75% 1.66% 1.39% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 39% 45% 44% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Linn 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 Hiawatha

For a typical $216,900 home in Hiawatha, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Hiawatha's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,945a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $7,592
    Cash to close
    $14,099
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $96

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,906a month

    Down payment
    $10,845
    Cash to close
    $17,352
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $103

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,582a month

    Down payment
    $43,380
    Cash to close
    $49,887
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,783a month

    Down payment
    $32,535
    Cash to close
    $39,042
    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 Hiawatha and for Linn County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Hiawatha

1.75%of the home’s value each year

$3,802 a year for the typical owner in Hiawatha.

  • Hiawatha 1.75%
  • Linn 1.66%
  • Iowa 1.39%

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

Exemptions and deadlines in Iowa

Flood risk in Linn County

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
1.2%
1,061
Of those, with NFIP insurance
24%
County Iowa U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1.2% 2.2% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 24% 14% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Hiawatha

Typical rent in Hiawatha is $855 a month: 10% below the county. In Hiawatha, 39% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Linn County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,054 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $20.27 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Linn 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 $734 $14.12 $29,360
1 bedroom $806 $15.50 $32,240
2 bedrooms $1,054 $20.27 $42,160
3 bedrooms $1,459 $28.06 $58,360
4 bedrooms $1,762 $33.88 $70,480

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 Hiawatha

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

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $970 in 52233 to $1,010 in 52411.

None is above the fair market rent for Linn County ($1,054).

  • 52233 $970$1,350
  • 52411 $1,010$1,400

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Hiawatha 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 Hiawatha

HUD lists one building with rents for lower incomes in Hiawatha.

  • Meadow Wood of Hiawatha 410 N 18th Ave, Hiawatha 52233 24 low-income homes · 3 bd: 24 · In service since 1996 · For families

See all 53 buildings in Linn County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Hiawatha

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.

There is 1 HUD-approved agency with an office in Linn County; none says it serves in Spanish.

A man shakes hands with the specialist who helped him with his loan, in the kitchen of his new home.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Hiawatha

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

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Iowa

Housing counselors near Hiawatha

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

  • Horizons, A Family Service Alliance (horizons Cccs)

    819 5th St SE, Cedar Rapids · 6 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 10 more
    (319) 398-3943

  • CCCS of Rochester-Northeastern Iowa

    1003 W 4th St, Waterloo · 45 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 3 more
    (800) 714-4388

  • Family Management Financial Solutions, Inc.

    2310 Falls Ave Ste 4, Waterloo · 47 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 3 more
    (319) 234-6695

Every agency in Linn County All counseling agencies in Iowa

Help in Spanish near Hiawatha

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 Hiawatha

In HUD’s record, no housing authority with an office in Linn County is named for Hiawatha or Linn County.

One other authority has an office in Linn County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Linn County

These cities are also in Linn County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Linn County Housing in Iowa

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Hiawatha, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Linn 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 Hiawatha.

All guides
Three women of one family lean in together to stir the pan.

Questions

Housing questions about Hiawatha

Short answers with the numbers for Hiawatha and all of Linn 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 Hiawatha?

The typical home value in Hiawatha is $216,900, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Linn County it is $214,300.

How much does it cost to rent in Hiawatha?

Typical rent in Hiawatha is $855 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Linn County is $1,054.

What is the FHA loan limit in Hiawatha?

Hiawatha uses the FHA limit for all of Linn 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 Hiawatha?

The typical homeowner in Hiawatha pays $3,802 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.75% of the home’s value; in Linn County, the rate is 1.66%.

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

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in Linn County. 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).