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City · 7,769 residents · Hamilton County, Iowa

Webster City , Iowa

In Webster City, a typical home is worth $127,200 and typical rent is $907 a month. Compared with all of Hamilton County, the typical home value is 19% lower, typical household income is 12% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 9 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $127,200

    19% below the county

    39% below Iowa

    • Webster City
    • Hamilton
    • Iowa

  • Typical rent

    $907a month

    3% above the county

    7% below Iowa

    • Webster City
    • Hamilton
    • Iowa

  • Typical household income

    $63,430a year

    12% below the county

    15% below Iowa

    • Webster City
    • Hamilton
    • Iowa

  • Households that own their home

    64%

    9 points below the county

    7 points below Iowa

    • Webster City
    • Hamilton
    • Iowa

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$151,407
1% more than 12 months ago

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

Webster City is in Hamilton 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 Hamilton County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Webster City apart

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

  1. The typical home in Webster City is worth $127,200, 19% less than in Hamilton County as a whole ($156,400).

  2. 64% of households in Webster City own their home, against 73% in Hamilton County.

  3. Webster City has the 7th smallest share of rent-burdened renters of the 81 cities in Iowa with more than 5,000 people (33%).

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

The homes here

Housing in Webster City

What homes there are in Webster City, 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 Webster City, but it weighs less than in Hamilton County: 70% against 81%.

Year built

By age, homes in Webster City look like those in Hamilton County: the typical year built is 1955.

There are fewer big homes in Webster City than in Hamilton County: 57% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 67%.

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 Hamilton County is high ($541,287): at least 98% of owner-occupied homes in Webster City are worth less than $500,000.

Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,169 a month

Hamilton County: $1,345 a month

Without a mortgage

$580 a month

Hamilton County: $595 a month

Owners with a mortgage

59%

Hamilton County: 53%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Webster City is $1,169 a month, less than in Hamilton County ($1,345); without one, $580.

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

Homes in Webster City gained value more slowly than in Hamilton County: 31% since 2015–2019, against 47%.

Rents in Webster City rose faster than in Hamilton County: 30% since 2015–2019, against 24%.

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

MeasureWebster CityHamilton 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 2.352.282.362.53
Drive alone 88%84%76%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate7%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate3%3%3%
Work from home Unreliable estimate6%11%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutesUnreliable estimate10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes

A household in Webster City has 2.35 people on average, about the same as in Hamilton County (2.28).

In Webster City, 88% of workers drive alone to work; in Hamilton County, 84%.

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 Webster City?

A typical home is within reach of the typical income

We start with a typical home in Webster City, worth $127,200, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 21% of the typical household income in Webster City, which is $63,430 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Webster City. 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 $4,452 (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

$1,106

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$124,896
Total interest
$179,696
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $2,148 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,480 a month

    Your payment · 21%

  • Tight

    $1,480 to $1,903 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,903 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Webster City ($63,430 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,106
Principal & interest$846
Property tax$151
Home insurance$53
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$56

You need at least $4,452 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

Webster City and Hamilton County

Webster City is in Hamilton 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).

Webster City's own numbers

Typical home value
$127,200
Typical monthly rent
$907
Typical yearly household income
$63,430
Households that own their home
64%
Effective property tax rate
1.42%

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

Numbers for all of Hamilton County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,004
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+41%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1%

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 Hamilton County.

Everything about Hamilton County

Buying

Buying a home in Webster City

A typical home in Webster City is worth $127,200: 19% below the county and 39% below Iowa. With the typical household income in Webster City ($63,430 a year), a typical home costs 2.0 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.

  • Webster City 2.0 years
  • Hamilton 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 Hamilton County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Hamilton County rose 63% in the 10 years through 2025.

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

Period County Iowa U.S.
Last year (2025) +11.4% +3.2% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +41% +41% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +63% +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

Webster City next to Hamilton 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
  • Webster City $127,200
  • Hamilton $156,400
  • Iowa $208,000
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Webster City $907
  • Hamilton $877
  • Iowa $972
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Webster City $63,430
  • Hamilton $72,432
  • Iowa $75,059
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Webster City next to Hamilton County and Iowa
Measure Webster City Hamilton County Iowa U.S.
Typical home value $127,200 $156,400 $208,000 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $907 $877 $972 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $63,430 $72,432 $75,059 $80,734
Households that own their home 64% 73% 72% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,803 $1,977 $2,897 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.42% 1.26% 1.39% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 33% 32% 44% 51%

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

For a typical $127,200 home in Webster City, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Webster City's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,106a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $4,452
    Cash to close
    $8,268
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $56

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,083a month

    Down payment
    $6,360
    Cash to close
    $10,176
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $60

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $893a month

    Down payment
    $25,440
    Cash to close
    $29,256
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,010a month

    Down payment
    $19,080
    Cash to close
    $22,896
    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 Webster City and for Hamilton County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Webster City

1.42%of the home’s value each year

$1,803 a year for the typical owner in Webster City.

  • Webster City 1.42%
  • Hamilton 1.26%
  • Iowa 1.39%

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

Exemptions and deadlines in Iowa

Flood risk in Hamilton County

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
1%
113
Of those, with NFIP insurance
1.8%
County Iowa U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1% 2.2% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 1.8% 14% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Webster City

Typical rent in Webster City is $907 a month: 3% above the county. In Webster City, 33% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Hamilton County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,004 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $19.31 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Hamilton 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 $746 $14.35 $29,840
1 bedroom $796 $15.31 $31,840
2 bedrooms $1,004 $19.31 $40,160
3 bedrooms $1,196 $23.00 $47,840
4 bedrooms $1,320 $25.38 $52,800

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 Webster City

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Webster City is in ZIP code 50595.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,020: $16 more than the fair market rent for Hamilton County ($1,004).

  • 50595 $1,020$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 Webster City 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 Webster City

HUD lists 4 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Webster City. These are the largest.

  • Stone Ridge Townhomes 305 Fair Meadow Dr, Webster City 50595 42 low-income homes · 2 bd: 23 · 3 bd: 19 · In service since 2006 · For families
  • Prairieview Manor Apts 1749 Lynx Ave, Webster City 50595 24 low-income homes · 1 bd: 24 · In service since 1997 · For older adults, people with disabilities
  • Hamilton Knolls 2304 Des Moines St, Webster City 50595 12 low-income homes · 1 bd: 10 · 2 bd: 2 · In service since 2006 · For people with disabilities, families
  • Elm Street Home 511 Elm St, Webster City 50595 5 low-income homes · For people with disabilities (515) 832-4113

See all 4 buildings in Hamilton County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Webster City

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

A young woman and a young man point to a line in their notes beside a laptop in a library.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Webster City

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

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Iowa

Housing counselors near Webster City

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

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

    1618 6th Ave, Des Moines · 60 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 · 60 miles away

    • Pre-purchase counseling
    (515) 471-8686

  • Family Management Financial Solutions, Inc.

    2310 Falls Ave Ste 4, Waterloo · 74 miles away

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

All counseling agencies in Iowa

Help in Spanish near Webster City

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 Webster City

HUD lists no housing authority with an office in Hamilton County. One in a neighboring county or the state’s may serve the area.

All housing agencies in Iowa Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Webster City, with the typical home value.

Everything about Hamilton County Housing in Iowa

Neighboring counties

If Hamilton 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 Webster City.

All guides
Three generations of a family gather on the porch of their home.

Questions

Housing questions about Webster City

Short answers with the numbers for Webster City and all of Hamilton 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 Webster City?

The typical home value in Webster City is $127,200, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Hamilton County it is $156,400.

How much does it cost to rent in Webster City?

Typical rent in Webster City is $907 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Hamilton County is $1,004.

What is the FHA loan limit in Webster City?

Webster City uses the FHA limit for all of Hamilton 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 Webster City?

The typical homeowner in Webster City pays $1,803 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.42% of the home’s value; in Hamilton County, the rate is 1.26%.

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

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