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Jones County, IA

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Jones County, IA is $919 per month, ranking #668 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $73,071, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 15.1% of income on housing. Rent in Jones County has increased 6.6% year over year. The area has a population of 21K, with 19.3% of households renting.

15.1%
Affordable
of income → rent
$919
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$73,071
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$759
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+6.6%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
21K
Population
Census ACS
19.3%
Renters
of occupied housing
$183,400
Median Home Value
4%
Unemployment
BLS LAUS
8.7%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
10.4%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$634
Studio
$711
1 Bedroom
$919
2 Bedroom
$1,212
3 Bedroom
$1,217
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Jones County, IA, a household earning the area median income of $73,071 would spend 15.1% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$36,760
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$18
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$759
$160 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+28.5% since 2021
$7152021$7392022$7952023$8622024$8772025$9192026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Iowa is $7.25/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 97.5 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Jones County is 10.4%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$7.25/hr
Hours/Week Needed
97.5 hrs
Poverty Rate
10.4%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Jones County is $183,400. At a median income of $73,071, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 2.5x. 8.7% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is near the national average. The local unemployment rate is 4%, below the national average, indicating a relatively strong local labor market.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,284 est. mortgage
vs $919 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
8.7%
of housing units
Unemployment
4%
BLS, latest available

Other Areas in Iowa

Omaha-Council Bluffs
$1,368/mo
2BR FMR · 19.8% burden
Des Moines-West Des Moines
$1,318/mo
2BR FMR · 18.8% burden
Sioux City
$1,154/mo
2BR FMR · 19.2% burden
Ames
$1,153/mo
2BR FMR · 19.5% burden
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island
$1,143/mo
2BR FMR · 19.1% burden

Compare Jones County

vs Omaha-Council Bluffs, IAvs Des Moines-West Des Moines, IAvs Sioux City, IA

Areas With Similar Rent to Jones County

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Jones County, IA is $919 per month. A studio is $634/mo, a 1-bedroom is $711/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,212/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $759/mo.

Jones County has a rent burden of 15.1%, meaning a household earning the median income of $73,071 would spend 15.1% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $36,760.

Jones County's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $919/mo is $331 below the national median of $1,250/mo. Jones County ranks #668 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Jones County without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $36,760, or a full-time hourly wage of $18/hour. The area median income is $73,071.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Jones County increased by 6.6% compared to the prior year. This is a significant increase, suggesting growing demand in the local housing market.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.