The story of this market
The typical home in ZIP 51537 sells for about $208,000, or $127 per square foot.
Prices are up +3.2% from a year ago, so sellers still have some momentum. Homes take about 85 days to sell, which is slow. HUD's fair market rent for a two-bedroom is $790 a month.
ZIP 51537 — Villisca
The housing market in 51537 remains stable with low inventory and modest price appreciation. Demand is driven by local employment stability, though the market is constrained by a limited supply of available homes.
This ZIP is well-suited for families and long-term residents seeking an affordable, small-town lifestyle with a strong sense of community and lower cost of living compared to urban centers.
Median prices moved up 3.2% year over year.
Homes spend a median of 85 days on market with 4.8 months of supply — a balanced-paced market.
15% of listings have cut prices · homes sell at 97.5% of asking — demand is running ahead of supply.
no recorded foreclosure-ledger notices (0.0 per 10,000 residents) · unemployment 4.1% · poverty 7.3% — a stable, low-distress profile.
Researched annual trajectory for this ZIP, from published historical series
Solid: researched ten-year history · dotted: 1 / 3 / 5-year projection extended from the historical 2.9%/yr trend — a deterministic estimate, not a published forecast or guarantee.
Median annual property tax paid on this ZIP's residential parcels
Solid: researched ten-year history · dotted: 1 / 3 / 5-year projection extended from the historical 2.7%/yr trend — a deterministic estimate, not a published forecast or guarantee.
versus the prior ACS vintage
ZCTA 51537, Shelby County IA
ACS 2024 5-year estimates. Aggregate published statistics for this ZIP — never individual records, and never an attribute of any individual property or resident.
Crime rates in Harlan are generally low, consistent with rural western Iowa trends and significantly below national averages for violent and property crime.
The area is served by the Harlan Community School District, which is generally regarded as providing stable, community-focused public education.
The region faces moderate risks from severe thunderstorms and occasional wind events, with standard flood insurance requirements for properties located in designated floodplain areas.
Economic momentum is driven by local agricultural support, manufacturing, and regional healthcare services, with steady but modest development activity.
Composed from the ARED governance burden registry — tier-native tax structure (state + county + city + special districts), never averaged. State (Iowa) — Iowa Property Tax Assessment Limitation: 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.
Commuting is primarily car-dependent, with residents typically traveling within Shelby County or to nearby regional employment hubs via US-59 and IA-44.
Local amenities include Prairie Rose State Park, several community parks, and local golf facilities, providing accessible outdoor recreation for residents.
The rental market is characterized by low vacancy rates and limited inventory, with demand driven by local workforce needs and a lack of new multi-family construction.
The economy is anchored by agriculture, food processing, and regional healthcare services, with a stable employment base.
Transportation is dominated by private vehicle use, with US-59 serving as the primary north-south corridor.
Development is focused on small-scale residential infill and local infrastructure maintenance.
The Shelby County Assessor manages property valuations based on market-based assessments and state-mandated equalization factors.
Parcels are subject to levies from the Harlan Community School District and local municipal utility districts.
Property insurance premiums are stable but reflect regional exposure to severe weather events common in the Midwest.
Data retrieved from US Census Bureau American Community Survey profiles for ZCTA 51537.
Public schools whose reported address is in this area (NCES). Not attendance boundaries — schools that serve residents may sit outside it. Check the district's address locator for assignment.
Features a lake, camping, and hiking trails.
Local recreational facility serving the community.
Preserves local history and heritage.
Key-figure check: no independent anchor retained yet — first-researched cycles establish the anchor baseline this pass.