The story of this market
The typical home in Palo Alto County, Iowa sells for about $175,483.
Prices are up +6.17% from a year ago, so sellers still have some momentum. Over the long run, values in this county have grown 91% since 2000. The biggest natural hazard here is drought, which FEMA rates relatively high. HUD's fair market rent for a two-bedroom is $927 a month.
HUD sets the fair market rent for a 2-bedroom at $927 a month. FEMA's National Risk Index rates overall hazard risk here as Relatively Moderate.
Price climate
Every year of price change, 2000–2025
0%
2025
Each stripe is one year's median price change across the area's census tracts (FHFA repeat-sales index). Deep blue is a strong gain year, red a falling year. Best: 2001 (+12.5%). Worst: 2000 (-7%). Hover to read a year.
Monthly price momentum
Home values since 2015
+1.5%
IA · past 12 months
Freddie Mac House Price Index, single-family homes, monthly through 2026-08. Each line starts at 100 in January 2015, so a reading of 180 means prices are up 80% since then.
Rent benchmark
Fair market rent by size
$1,247
3-bed / month
HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal 2027, for this county. A typical rent for a modest unit, used to set housing-voucher payments.
Neighborhood price trend
Long-run price trend, 2000–2025
0%
2025 change
FHFA repeat-sales index, median of 4 census tracts in this county (2000 = 100). Bars are each year's median change.
Natural hazard exposure
The area's risk shape
73
Relatively Moderate
FEMA National Risk Index. Each spoke is a hazard ranked nationally, where 100 is the most exposed. Expected annual loss: $9,688,362.
Mortgage activity
Home lending in this county
75.3%
2018 approval rate
| Year | Applications | Loans made | Approval | Investor share | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 218 | 127 | 75.3% | 0% | $110,000 |
CFPB Home Mortgage Disclosure Act records: every mortgage application reported by lenders for homes in this county. Approval rate is approved ÷ decided (withdrawn and incomplete files excluded). Investor share and home value are the median census tract.
Palo Alto County, Iowa
Palo Alto County maintains a stable, affordable housing market with a median home value of $175,483, reflecting a 6.17% year-over-year increase. The market is characterized by high affordability, with a price-to-income ratio of 2.4x, well below national thresholds for concern. Growth remains modest as the county navigates a slight population decline.
No ARED distress-ledger coverage for this county yet — the foreclosure ingest rotates the national county directory, and filings appear here once the county's posted notices are read. Key-figure check: no independent anchor retained yet — first-researched cycles establish the anchor baseline this pass.
Select a city to expand its ZIP intel reports beneath · 4 cities · 4 ZIP reports
Median prices moved up 6.2% year over year.
Awaiting this reading — not graded.
0% of listings have cut prices · homes sell at 0% of asking — demand is holding steady.
no recorded foreclosure-ledger notices (0.0 per 10,000 residents) · unemployment 0.0% · poverty 11.6% — a stable, low-distress profile.
ACS 2024 5-year estimates. Aggregate published statistics for this county — never individual records, and never an attribute of any individual property or resident.
No researched properties in this county yet — the property base layer populates as property research runs, and each property feeds its ZIP's roll-up.
No researched ZIP reports yet — ZIP discovery runs with the county's first refresh, and each ZIP's intel report appears here once its research lands.
The county economy is supported by local government services and regional economic development initiatives, with the county seat in Emmetsburg serving as the primary administrative and business hub.
Property taxes are administered at the county level; residents can access parcel-specific tax information and payment portals through the official Palo Alto County Treasurer's website.
The county features several notable lakes including Five Island Lake, Lost Island Lake, Rush Lake, and Silver Lake, which serve as local recreational hubs.
The local economy is anchored by the county seat of Emmetsburg, with economic development efforts coordinated through the Palo Alto County Economic Development Corporation.
The amenity base that shapes daily life and property demand in this county — what residents actually live with, and what the pipeline is adding.
A prominent local lake providing recreational opportunities.
A significant water feature in the county.
The historic 1880s courthouse located in the Emmetsburg business district.
Data retrieved from Census Reporter and U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts.
applies when — Property must be occupied as the owner's homestead
Provides legal protections for the homestead property, including specific exemptions from judicial sale for debts, as defined under state law.
Iowa Code Chapter 561
Iowa generally requires judicial foreclosure proceedings. Borrowers are entitled to a notice of right to cure default prior to the initiation of foreclosure actions. Redemption rights exist post-sale unless specific statutory exceptions (such as foreclosure without redemption for nonagricultural land) are met.
Iowa Code Chapter 654
The taxable value is determined by applying an assessment limitation (rollback) to the assessed market value. The limitation is calculated annually to restrict the growth in aggregate taxable value for the residential class to 3% statewide.
Iowa Code Chapter 441; Iowa Department of Revenue Property Tax Overview
≈ $5,264/yr on a $175,483 median
Governance registry — every jurisdiction re-researches on a rolling 90-day cycle. Property reports compose these inherited burdens into a per-parcel ledger with conditional determinations. Informational only — not legal advice.