Public housing in Iowa
Data from November 2026
Public housing agencies in Iowa
63 public housing agencies administer 24,467 Section 8 vouchers and 3,948 public housing units in Iowa. Each one takes applications and runs its own waiting list.
Key numbers in Iowa
- Agencies
- 63
- take applications and keep their own waiting lists
- Section 8 vouchers
- 24,467
- total they manage, not openings
- Public housing units
- 3,948
- total they manage, not openings
How it works
How they work
There are two main kinds of help: the voucher to rent in the private market and public housing. You apply for both at the agency for your area in Iowa.
- Step 1
Section 8 (Housing Choice Vouchers)
The family finds a home on the private market. The agency pays part of the rent directly to the landlord and the family pays the difference.
- Step 2
Public housing
Homes the agency itself manages. Rent is set from the family’s income.
- Step 3
How to apply
Apply at the agency for your area. They check income and family size, and may close their waiting list when it is full: ask whether it is open and how long it takes.
According to HUD: Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8)· HUD: public housing program
Mixed-status families Section 8 and mixed-status families: how it works How the Section 8 voucher works, how aid is prorated in a mixed-status family, how to apply through your housing agency and what HUD proposed. Read the guideHUD’s list
Every agency in Iowa
Largest first. Search by name or county.
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Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Polk County
3,709 vouchers · 410 public housing units
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Iowa City Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Johnson County
1,431 vouchers · 86 public housing units
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Southern Iowa Regional Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Union County
1,132 vouchers · 125 public housing units
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Eastern Iowa Regional Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Dubuque County
1,078 vouchers · 163 public housing units
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Fort Dodge Municipal Housing Agency
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Webster County
1,072 vouchers · 135 public housing units
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Central Iowa Regional Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Polk County
1,045 vouchers · 132 public housing units
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Waterloo Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Black Hawk County
1,091 vouchers · 50 public housing units
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Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Pottawattamie County
784 vouchers · 294 public housing units
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Ottumwa Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Wapello County
241 vouchers · 359 public housing units
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Low Rent Housing Agency of Burlington
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Des Moines County
347 vouchers · 194 public housing units
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Muscatine Municipal Housing Agency
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Muscatine County
385 vouchers · 150 public housing units
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North Iowa Regional Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Cerro Gordo County
403 vouchers · 121 public housing units
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Area XV Multi-County Housing Agency
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Wapello County
427 vouchers · 84 public housing units
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Low Rent Housing Agency of Clinton
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Clinton County
428 vouchers · 50 public housing units
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Charles City Hsg and Redev Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Floyd County
210 vouchers · 147 public housing units
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Keokuk Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Lee County
175 vouchers · 181 public housing units
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Low Rent Housing Agency of Knoxville
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Marion County
263 vouchers · 47 public housing units
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Fort Madison Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Lee County
73 vouchers · 134 public housing units
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Centerville Municipal Housing Agency
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Appanoose County
101 vouchers · 100 public housing units
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Evansdale Municipal Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Black Hawk County
163 vouchers
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Albia Housing Agency
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Monroe County
99 vouchers · 40 public housing units
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None match your search.
HUD’s official list exactly as published, retrieved November 6, 2026. Vouchers and units are totals each agency administers, not vacancies. Source: Public Housing Agencies (HUD) Retrieved November 6, 2026 Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (external site)
Frequently asked questions
What is a Section 8 voucher?
A Housing Choice Voucher from HUD’s federal program: the family rents on the private market and the housing agency pays part of the rent to the landlord. The family pays the difference.
How do I apply for a voucher or public housing in Iowa?
At the housing agency for your area; Iowa has 63. Each one has its own application and waiting list, and may close it when it is full. Call or check its site to see whether it is open.
How many Section 8 vouchers are there in Iowa?
The agencies in Iowa administer 24,467 Section 8 vouchers and 3,948 public housing units, according to HUD’s list retrieved November 6, 2026. They are program totals, not available vacancies.