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City · 11,504 residents · Mahaska County, Iowa

Oskaloosa , Iowa

In Oskaloosa, a typical home is worth $153,300 and typical rent is $831 a month. Compared with all of Mahaska County, typical household income is 10% lower and the share of households that own their home is 7 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $153,300

    3% below the county

    26% below Iowa

    • Oskaloosa
    • Mahaska
    • Iowa

  • Typical rent

    $831a month

    5% above the county

    15% below Iowa

    • Oskaloosa
    • Mahaska
    • Iowa

  • Typical household income

    $64,004a year

    10% below the county

    15% below Iowa

    • Oskaloosa
    • Mahaska
    • Iowa

  • Households that own their home

    61%

    7 points below the county

    11 points below Iowa

    • Oskaloosa
    • Mahaska
    • Iowa

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$191,591
7.1% more than 12 months ago

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

Oskaloosa is in Mahaska 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 Mahaska County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Oskaloosa apart

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

  1. Nearby, in Ottumwa, the typical home value is $106,300: 31% less than in Oskaloosa ($153,300).

  2. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in Oskaloosa rose 7.1%; in Iowa, it rose 3.3%.

  3. 61% of households in Oskaloosa own their home, against 68% in Mahaska County.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); Zillow (September 2026 data). Zillow data

The homes here

Housing in Oskaloosa

What homes there are in Oskaloosa, 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

In Oskaloosa, 7 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses; in Mahaska County, 8.

Year built

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

At least 98% of owner-occupied homes in Oskaloosa are worth less than $500,000, below the FHA loan limit for Mahaska County ($541,287).

Monthly rent with utilities

HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent (FMR) for Mahaska County is $946: about 63% of rents in Oskaloosa are below it.

With a mortgage

$1,227 a month

Mahaska County: $1,282 a month

Without a mortgage

$603 a month

Mahaska County: $571 a month

Owners with a mortgage

55%

Mahaska County: 52%

In Oskaloosa, 55% of owners have a mortgage; their typical cost is $1,227 a month, about the same as in Mahaska County.

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

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Oskaloosa rose 59%; in Mahaska County, it rose 37%.

Rents in Oskaloosa rose faster than in Mahaska County: 27% since 2015–2019, against 22%.

The typical household income in Oskaloosa rose 35% over that time; home values changed +59% and rent +27%.

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

MeasureOskaloosaMahaska CountyIowaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate5.7%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1.6%3.4%
People per household 2.352.432.362.53
Drive alone 79%80%76%69%
Carpool 9%9%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate3%3%3%
Work from home 7%8%11%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes

A household in Oskaloosa has 2.35 people on average, about the same as in Mahaska County (2.43).

In Oskaloosa, 79% of workers drive alone to work; in Mahaska County, 80%.

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 Oskaloosa?

A typical home is within reach of the typical income

We start with a typical home in Oskaloosa, worth $153,300, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 25% of the typical household income in Oskaloosa, which is $64,004 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Oskaloosa. 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 $5,366 (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

$1,332

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$150,523
Total interest
$216,567
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $2,589 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,493 a month

    Your payment · 25%

  • Tight

    $1,493 to $1,920 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,920 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Oskaloosa ($64,004 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,332
Principal & interest$1,020
Property tax$180
Home insurance$64
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$68

You need at least $5,366 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

Oskaloosa and Mahaska County

Oskaloosa is in Mahaska 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).

Oskaloosa's own numbers

Typical home value
$153,300
Typical monthly rent
$831
Typical yearly household income
$64,004
Households that own their home
61%
Effective property tax rate
1.41%

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

Numbers for all of Mahaska County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$946
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+53%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
0.9%

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 Mahaska County.

Everything about Mahaska County

Buying

Buying a home in Oskaloosa

A typical home in Oskaloosa is worth $153,300: 3% below the county and 26% below Iowa. With the typical household income in Oskaloosa ($64,004 a year), a typical home costs 2.4 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.

  • Oskaloosa 2.4 years
  • Mahaska 2.2 years
  • Iowa 2.8 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Mahaska County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Mahaska County rose 77% in the 10 years through 2025.

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

Period County Iowa U.S.
Last year (2025) +2.2% +3.2% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +53% +41% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +77% +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

Oskaloosa next to Mahaska 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
  • Oskaloosa $153,300
  • Mahaska $157,800
  • Iowa $208,000
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Oskaloosa $831
  • Mahaska $793
  • Iowa $972
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Oskaloosa $64,004
  • Mahaska $70,940
  • Iowa $75,059
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Oskaloosa next to Mahaska County and Iowa
Measure Oskaloosa Mahaska County Iowa U.S.
Typical home value $153,300 $157,800 $208,000 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $831 $793 $972 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $64,004 $70,940 $75,059 $80,734
Households that own their home 61% 68% 72% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $2,162 $2,077 $2,897 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.41% 1.32% 1.39% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 37% 33% 44% 51%

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

For a typical $153,300 home in Oskaloosa, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Oskaloosa's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,332a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $5,366
    Cash to close
    $9,965
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $68

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,303a month

    Down payment
    $7,665
    Cash to close
    $12,264
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $73

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,075a month

    Down payment
    $30,660
    Cash to close
    $35,259
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,217a month

    Down payment
    $22,995
    Cash to close
    $27,594
    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 Oskaloosa and for Mahaska County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Oskaloosa

1.41%of the home’s value each year

$2,162 a year for the typical owner in Oskaloosa.

  • Oskaloosa 1.41%
  • Mahaska 1.32%
  • Iowa 1.39%

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

Exemptions and deadlines in Iowa

Flood risk in Mahaska County

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
0.9%
97
Of those, with NFIP insurance
7.2%
County Iowa U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 0.9% 2.2% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 7.2% 14% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Oskaloosa

Typical rent in Oskaloosa is $831 a month: 5% above the county. In Oskaloosa, 37% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Mahaska County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($946 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $18.19 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Mahaska 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 $718 $13.81 $28,720
1 bedroom $723 $13.90 $28,920
2 bedrooms $946 $18.19 $37,840
3 bedrooms $1,157 $22.25 $46,280
4 bedrooms $1,243 $23.90 $49,720

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 Oskaloosa

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Oskaloosa is in ZIP code 52577.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,000: $54 more than the fair market rent for Mahaska County ($946).

  • 52577 $1,000$1,220

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

HUD lists 10 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Oskaloosa. These are the largest.

  • Inglenook and Norwich Apartments 319 N D St, Oskaloosa 52577 82 homes, 78 low-income · For older adults (641) 673-8508
  • The Reserves at Ironwood 1302 High Ave W, Oskaloosa 52577 48 homes, 46 low-income · 2 bd: 24 · 3 bd: 12 · 4 bd: 12 · In service since 2016 · For families
  • Santa Clara Apartments 1215 Santa Clara St, Oskaloosa 52577 40 low-income homes · For families (641) 673-8526
  • Southern Hills Apts Phase I 202 18th Ave E, Oskaloosa 52577 30 low-income homes · 1 bd: 4 · 2 bd: 25 · 3 bd: 1 · In service since 1999 · For people with disabilities, families
  • Southern Hills Apts Phase II 202 18th Ave E, Oskaloosa 52577 30 low-income homes · 1 bd: 6 · 2 bd: 19 · 3 bd: 5 · In service since 2001 · For people with disabilities, families

See all 10 buildings in Mahaska County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Oskaloosa

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 Mahaska County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

An older woman smiles in front of her apartment building.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Oskaloosa

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

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Iowa

Housing counselors near Oskaloosa

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

  • Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity

    95 University Ave, Des Moines · 55 miles away

    • Pre-purchase counseling
    (515) 471-8686

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

    1618 6th Ave, Des Moines · 55 miles away · Spanish

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

  • Horizons, A Family Service Alliance (horizons Cccs)

    819 5th St SE, Cedar Rapids · 69 miles away

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

All counseling agencies in Iowa

Help in Spanish near Oskaloosa

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 Oskaloosa

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

  • Oskaloosa Municipal Housing Agency Section 8 vouchers (641) 673-8361

All housing agencies in Iowa Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

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

Everything about Mahaska County Housing in Iowa

Neighboring counties

If Mahaska 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 Oskaloosa.

All guides
A mother holding her baby watches her daughter blow bubbles outdoors.

Questions

Housing questions about Oskaloosa

Short answers with the numbers for Oskaloosa and all of Mahaska 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 Oskaloosa?

The typical home value in Oskaloosa is $153,300, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Mahaska County it is $157,800.

How much does it cost to rent in Oskaloosa?

Typical rent in Oskaloosa is $831 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Mahaska County is $946.

What is the FHA loan limit in Oskaloosa?

Oskaloosa uses the FHA limit for all of Mahaska 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 Oskaloosa?

The typical homeowner in Oskaloosa pays $2,162 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.41% of the home’s value; in Mahaska County, the rate is 1.32%.

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

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Mahaska 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).