In Ottumwa, a typical home is worth $106,300 and typical rent is $921 a month. Compared with all of Wapello County, the typical home value is 15% lower, typical household income is 6% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 7 points lower.
Typical home value from Zillow, September 2021 to September 2026: from $95,239 to $121,448.
From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).
Ottumwa is in Wapello 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 Wapello County. See the county
What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.
1
Nearby, in Centerville, the typical rent is $755: 18% less than in Ottumwa ($921).
2
The typical home in Ottumwa is worth $106,300,15% less than in Wapello County as a whole ($125,100).
3
62% of households in Ottumwa own their home, against 68% in Wapello County.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).
The homes here
Housing in Ottumwa
What homes there are in Ottumwa, 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
Detached houseAttached houseBuilding of 2 to 4Apartments (5 or more)Mobile homeBoat, RV and otherUnreliable estimate
Ottumwa
Wapello County
Iowa
United States
Kind of home: Ottumwa and its comparisons
Measure
Ottumwa
Wapello County
Iowa
United States
Detached house
73%
77%
72%
61%
Attached house
2%
2%
5%
6%
Building of 2 to 4
6%
5%
6%
8%
Apartments (5 or more)
16%
12%
14%
19%
Mobile home
3%
4%
3%
6%
Boat, RV and other
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
0%
0%
In Ottumwa, 7 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses; in Wapello County, 8.
Year built
Before 19601960–19791980–19992000–20092010 or laterUnreliable estimate
Ottumwa
Wapello County
Iowa
United States
Year built: Ottumwa and its comparisons
Measure
Ottumwa
Wapello County
Iowa
United States
Before 1960
58%
52%
38%
26%
1960–1979
22%
24%
24%
24%
1980–1999
13%
15%
17%
25%
2000–2009
6%
7%
11%
14%
2010 or later
Unreliable estimate
2%
11%
11%
In Ottumwa, half of the homes were built before 1955; in Wapello County, before 1958.
There are fewer big homes in Ottumwa than in Wapello County: 45% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 51%.
What it costs here
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Value of owner-occupied homes
Under the limitOver the limitUnreliable estimate
Under $100K47%
$100K–$200K37%
$200K–$300K11%
$300K–$500K4%
$500K–$750KUnreliable
FHA limit: $541,287
$750K–$1MUnreliable
$1M or moreUnreliable
Value of owner-occupied homes: Ottumwa and its comparisons
Measure
Ottumwa
Under $100K
47%
$100K–$200K
37%
$200K–$300K
11%
$300K–$500K
4%
$500K–$750K
Unreliable estimate
$750K–$1M
Unreliable
$1M or more
Unreliable estimate
At least 99% of owner-occupied homes in Ottumwa are worth less than $500,000, below the FHA loan limit for Wapello County ($541,287).
Monthly rent with utilities
Under the limitOver the limitUnreliable estimate
Under $50011%
$500–$99950%
$1,000–$1,49932%
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms: $1,076
$1,500–$1,9994%
$2,000–$2,499Unreliable
$2,500–$2,999Unreliable
$3,000 or moreUnreliable
Monthly rent with utilities: Ottumwa and its comparisons
Measure
Ottumwa
Under $500
11%
$500–$999
50%
$1,000–$1,499
32%
$1,500–$1,999
4%
$2,000–$2,499
Unreliable estimate
$2,500–$2,999
Unreliable estimate
$3,000 or more
Unreliable estimate
HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent (FMR) for Wapello County is $1,076: about 66% of rents in Ottumwa are below it.
With a mortgage
$1,151 a month
Wapello County: $1,235 a month
Without a mortgage
$545 a month
Wapello County: $575 a month
Owners with a mortgage
55%
Wapello County: 52%
Owning costs less in Ottumwa: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $1,151 a month; in Wapello County, $1,235. Without one, $545.
How it changed
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024
Change since 2015–2019
Typical home value
Ottumwa+44%
Wapello County+52%
Iowa+41%
United States+53%
Typical rent
Ottumwa+27%
Wapello County+28%
Iowa+23%
United States+33%
Typical household income
Ottumwa+47%
Wapello County+40%
Iowa+24%
United States+29%
Change since 2015–2019: Ottumwa and its comparisons
Measure
Ottumwa
Wapello County
Iowa
United States
Typical home value
+44%
+52%
+41%
+53%
Typical rent
+27%
+28%
+23%
+33%
Typical household income
+47%
+40%
+24%
+29%
The typical home value in Ottumwa rose 44% since 2015–2019, less than in Wapello County (52%).
The typical rent in Ottumwa rose 27% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Wapello County (28%).
The typical household income in Ottumwa rose 47%: more than home values (+44%) and rent (+27%).
How people live
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
How people live: Ottumwa and its comparisons
Measure
Ottumwa
Wapello County
Iowa
United States
Rental vacancy
11.0%
10.5%
5.7%
5.5%
Homeowner vacancy
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
0.8%
0.9%
More than one person per room
3.0%
2.4%
1.6%
3.4%
People per household
2.47
2.46
2.36
2.53
Drive alone
77%
79%
76%
69%
Carpool
14%
12%
8%
9%
Public transit
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
1%
3%
Walk or bike
Unreliable estimate
2%
3%
3%
Work from home
4%
6%
11%
15%
Other means
Unreliable estimate
2%
1%
2%
Typical commute
10 to 19 minutes
10 to 19 minutes
10 to 19 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
In Ottumwa, the rental vacancy rate is 11.0%, about the same as in Wapello County.
In Ottumwa, 3.0% of households live with more than one person per room, about the same as in Wapello County.
By size, households in Ottumwa look like those in Wapello County: 2.47 people on average.
In Ottumwa, 77% of workers drive alone to work; in Wapello County, 79%.
Do the math
What would you pay each month for a home in Ottumwa?
A typical home is within reach of the typical income
We start with a typical home in Ottumwa, worth $106,300, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 19% of the typical household income in Ottumwa, which is $61,103 a year.
The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Wapello County.
Change the price, the down payment or the loan: the payment updates right away.
Your numbers
Local data
$
Starts at the typical home value in Ottumwa. Change it to the price you have in mind.
Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.
Down payment
%
That is $3,721 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.
This week's average ± a quarter or half point.
National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.
Adjust advanced details⌄
Estimated monthly payment
Local data
$953
at 7.18% · 30 years
Loan amount
$104,374
Total interest
$150,170
Paid off in
November 2056
Includes $1,795 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.
Does it fit the income?
Comfortable
up to $1,426 a month
Your payment · 19%
Tight
$1,426 to $1,833 a month
Hard
more than $1,833 a month
Compared with the typical household income in Ottumwa ($61,103 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.
Monthly payment breakdown
Principal & interest
$707
Property tax
$155
Home insurance
$44
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)
$47
You need at least $3,721 for the down payment, plus closing costs.
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.
Total monthly payment $953; principal and interest $707.
The city and its county
Ottumwa and Wapello County
Ottumwa is in Wapello 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).
Ottumwa
Map of Wapello County, Iowa, with Ottumwa marked. Around it, the neighboring counties.
Ottumwa
Wapello County
Ottumwa's own numbers
Typical home value
$106,300
Typical monthly rent
$921
Typical yearly household income
$61,103
Households that own their home
62%
Effective property tax rate
1.75%
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).
Numbers for all of Wapello County
FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,076
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+42%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.5%
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 Wapello County.
A typical home in Ottumwa is worth $106,300: 15% below the county and 49% below Iowa. With the typical household income in Ottumwa ($61,103 a year), a typical home costs 1.7 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.
Ottumwa1.7 years
Wapello1.9 years
Iowa2.8 years
United States4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024
How prices have changed in Wapello County
According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Wapello County rose 54% in the 10 years through 2025.
FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Wapello County.
Yearly change in FHFA’s price index in Wapello County, 2016 to 2025
2016: −0.3% −0.3% 2016
2017: +1.9% +1.9% 2017
2018: +3.1% +3.1% 2018
2019: +2.8% +2.8% 2019
2020: +0.5% +0.5% 2020
2021: +9.9% +9.9% 2021
2022: +14.4% +14.4% 2022
2023: +5.1% +5.1% 2023
2024: +9.0% +9.0% 2024
2025: −1.4% −1.4% 2025
Change in FHFA’s price index in Wapello County, Iowa and the United States
Period
County
Iowa
U.S.
Last year (2025)
−1.4%
+3.2%
+2.9%
5 years (2020–2025)
+42%
+41%
+47%
10 years (2015–2025)
+54%
+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
Ottumwa next to Wapello 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
Ottumwa$106,300
Wapello$125,100
Iowa$208,000
United States$332,700
Typical monthly rent
Ottumwa$921
Wapello$920
Iowa$972
United States$1,413
Typical yearly household income
Ottumwa$61,103
Wapello$64,766
Iowa$75,059
United States$80,734
See the full table
Ottumwa next to Wapello County and Iowa
Measure
Ottumwa
Wapello County
Iowa
U.S.
Typical home value
$106,300 ▼15% below the county
$125,100
$208,000
$332,700
Typical monthly rent
$921
$920
$972
$1,413
Typical yearly household income
$61,103 ▼6% below the county
$64,766
$75,059
$80,734
Households that own their home
62% ▼7 points below the county
68%
72%
65%
Typical yearly property tax
$1,855 ▼6% below the county
$1,974
$2,897
$3,119
Effective property tax rate
1.75% ▲0.17 points above the county
1.58%
1.39%
0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income
49% ▲1 points above the county
48%
44%
51%
“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Wapello 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 Ottumwa
For a typical $106,300 home in Ottumwa, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Ottumwa's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.
FHA, 3.5% down$953a month
Least cash to close
Down payment
$3,721
Cash to close
$6,910
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
FHA MIP · $47
Conventional, 5% down$934a month
Down payment
$5,315
Cash to close
$8,504
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
PMI · $50
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI$775a month
Down payment
$21,260
Cash to close
$24,449
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
ITIN, 15% down (example)$874a month
Down payment
$15,945
Cash to close
$19,134
Rate
8.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
Four ways to pay for a typical home in Ottumwa
Loan
Monthly payment
Down payment
Loan amount
Rate
Mortgage insurance
Cash to close
Minimum score
FHA, 3.5% down Least cash to close
$953
$3,721
$104,375
7.18%
FHA MIP · $47
$6,910
580
Conventional, 5% down
$934
$5,315
$100,985
7.18%
PMI · $50
$8,504
620*
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI
$775
$21,260
$85,040
7.18%
None
$24,449
620*
ITIN, 15% down (example)
$874
$15,945
$90,355
8.18%
None
$19,134
Set by the lender
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.
Typical rent in Ottumwa is $921 a month: about the same as the county. In Ottumwa, 49% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.
HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Wapello County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,076 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $20.69 an hour working full time.
What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.
HUD fair market rent in Wapello County (Fiscal year 2027)
Size
Fair rent a month
Hourly wage
Yearly income
Studio
$799
$15.37
$31,960
1 bedroom
$823
$15.83
$32,920
2 bedrooms
$1,076
$20.69
$43,040
3 bedrooms
$1,409
$27.10
$56,360
4 bedrooms
$1,414
$27.19
$56,560
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 Ottumwa
HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Ottumwa is in ZIP code 52501.
For 2 bedrooms it is $1,080: $4 more than the fair market rent for Wapello County ($1,076).
Fair market rent by ZIP code and size in Ottumwa, fiscal year 2027.
ZIP code
Studio
1 bd
2 bd
3 bd
4 bd
52501
$800
$830
$1,080
$1,410
$1,420
ZIP code2 bd3 bd
52501 $1,080$1,410
1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Ottumwa 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 2027Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship fileData from 2020 dataCensus Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (external site)
HUD lists 9 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Ottumwa. These are the largest.
Camelot/Westgate Towers827 Albia Rd, Ottumwa 52501196 low-income homes · Run by Ottumwa Housing Authority · Average payment: $327 a month · Average wait: 8 months · Homes at several sites(641) 682-8369
Southoak Towers102 W Finley Ave, Ottumwa 52501103 low-income homes · Run by Ottumwa Housing Authority · Average payment: $322 a month · Average wait: 4 months · Homes at several sites(641) 682-8369
Family Sites103 Taft Cir, Ottumwa 5250160 low-income homes · Run by Ottumwa Housing Authority · Average payment: $435 a month · Average wait: 11 months · Homes at several sites(641) 682-8369
Washington Apartments539 W 4th St, Ottumwa 5250152 homes, 46 low-income · 1 bd: 11 · 2 bd: 24 · 3 bd: 17 · In service since 2019 · For families
Wapello Woods720 N Fellows Ave, Ottumwa 5250146 low-income homes · For families(641) 868-2995
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 Wapello County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.
No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Ottumwa or Wapello County. The ones below are statewide in Iowa: they work in Ottumwa the same as in the rest of the state.
With the Iowa state authority's FirstHome mortgage, a first-time buyer can get a second loan of up to 3% of the price (maximum $10,000) or up to 5% (maximum $15,000), with no monthly payments, repaid when you sell, refinance or pay off the mortgage.Offered by Iowa Finance Authority (IFA).
Iowa state authority second loan, with the Homes for Iowans mortgage, of up to 3% of the price (maximum $10,000) or 5% (maximum $15,000) for the down payment and closing costs; no monthly payments, and for any buyer.Offered by Iowa Finance Authority (IFA).
No legal help resource on our list is for Ottumwa or Wapello County in particular.
If you have a problem with your landlord, an eviction notice or a scam, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) search shows the free legal aid offices that serve your area.
Short answers with the numbers for Ottumwa and all of Wapello 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 Ottumwa?
The typical home value in Ottumwa is $106,300, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Wapello County it is $125,100.
How much does it cost to rent in Ottumwa?
Typical rent in Ottumwa is $921 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Wapello County is $1,076.
What is the FHA loan limit in Ottumwa?
Ottumwa uses the FHA limit for all of Wapello 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 Ottumwa?
The typical homeowner in Ottumwa pays $1,855 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.75% of the home’s value; in Wapello County, the rate is 1.58%.
Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Ottumwa?
We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Wapello County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.
