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Iowa Mortgage Calculator

Use this free Iowa mortgage calculator to estimate your monthly mortgage payments and annual amortization.

Loan details

%

Monthly payment

$2,112

at 6.88% · 30-year fixed

  • Principal & interest

    $1,577

  • Property taxes

    $375

  • Homeowners insurance

    $160

Loan amount

$240,000

Total interest paid

$327,875

Payoff date

—

YOU'RE KEEPING $18,598

$18,598

stays in your pocket

That's your total savings over 30 years at today's best rate on NerdWallet (6.88%) vs. the 7.20% national average — $52 less every month.

  • Today's best rate: 6.88%

  • Get your free rate with no credit impact

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No impact to your credit score

Calculated payments and savings are estimates. The calculator result does not constitute an offer for a loan and will not solicit a loan offer. Savings will depend on the actual amounts and rate for which you are approved, should you choose to apply.

Taking Out a Mortgage in Iowa

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Last updated November 19, 2025
The cost of a mortgage depends heavily on location, with notable differences from county to county. National averages provide a baseline, but a cost of living calculator comparing everyday expenses paired with local housing data often tell a more useful story.
Iowa mortgage costs sit firmly below national averages. In Polk County, home to Des Moines, the typical mortgage payment was $1,723 in Q1 2025 for a median-priced home valued at $293,998, according to the National Association of Realtors. By comparison, the national median payment was $2,120 on a median-priced single-family home valued at $402,300.

Iowa mortgage and refinance rates today (APR)

ProductInterest rateAPR
30-year fixed-rate7.368%7.373%
20-year fixed-rate7.311%7.315%
15-year fixed-rate6.574%6.581%
7-year ARM6.750%6.623%
5-year ARM7.375%6.988%
30-year fixed-rate VA6.750%7.099%
Data source: ©Zillow, Inc. 2006 – 2026. Use is subject to the Terms of Use

Today's rate

7.373%

30-year fixed

Today's mortgage rates in Iowa are 7.373% for a 30-year fixed, 6.581% for a 15-year fixed, and 6.988% for a 5-year adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM).

Iowa's first-time home buyer programs

There are several national first-time home buyer programs that may be able to help you get into a home in Iowa.
» MORE: First-time home buyer programs by state

Average property tax by county

Taking U.S. Census data, NerdWallet has crunched the numbers to help you understand what property tax rate you can expect to pay on your future home in Iowa. Because assessed values aren't frequently updated, you may pay a higher rate at first but eventually you'll pay a similar rate.

CountyAvg. property tax rateMedian home value
Adair County1.10%$131,600
Adams County1.01%$109,400
Allamakee County0.94%$156,900
Appanoose County1.22%$113,900
Audubon County1.03%$99,900
Benton County1.24%$189,000
Black Hawk County1.44%$179,700
Boone County1.35%$171,600
Bremer County1.32%$202,600
Buchanan County1.32%$166,200
Buena Vista County1.24%$138,100
Butler County1.28%$146,300
Calhoun County1.19%$104,900
Carroll County1.05%$162,000
Cass County1.40%$127,400
Cedar County1.12%$180,700
Cerro Gordo County1.28%$145,200
Cherokee County0.99%$145,300
Chickasaw County1.17%$151,700
Clarke County1.37%$127,200
Clay County1.18%$151,400
Clayton County1.09%$149,500
Clinton County1.47%$144,900
Crawford County1.28%$118,400
Dallas County1.41%$360,000
Davis County1.38%$140,300
Decatur County1.54%$97,000
Delaware County1.28%$154,600
Des Moines County1.47%$135,300
Dickinson County0.85%$236,100
Dubuque County1.23%$224,800
Emmet County1.37%$102,700
Fayette County1.18%$123,000
Floyd County1.20%$128,800
Franklin County1.26%$108,200
Fremont County1.13%$140,400
Greene County1.31%$119,100
Grundy County1.21%$166,300
Guthrie County1.34%$153,100
Hamilton County1.21%$116,000
Hancock County1.21%$116,000
Hardin County1.30%$109,300
Harrison County1.28%$152,000
Henry County1.43%$145,200
Howard County1.15%$125,100
Humboldt County1.38%$134,300
Ida County0.93%$108,000
Iowa County1.23%$175,600
Jackson County1.02%$162,100
Jasper County1.29%$163,800
Jefferson County1.45%$141,500
Johnson County1.49%$274,500
Jones County1.20%$165,200
Keokuk County1.14%$105,500
Kossuth County1.05%$118,800
Lee County1.32%$121,000
Linn County1.57%$195,800
Louisa County1.15%$125,500
Lucas County1.01%$111,000
Lyon County0.90%$190,800
Madison County1.23%$230,500
Mahaska County1.35%$135,100
Marion County1.28%$192,300
Marshall County1.38%$125,900
Mills County1.15%$225,500
Mitchell County0.99%$149,200
Monona County1.09%$108,700
Monroe County1.62%$128,000
Montgomery County1.40%$99,300
Muscatine County1.47%$159,000
O'Brien County1.15%$141,900
Osceola County0.93%$114,800
Page County1.33%$112,400
Palo Alto County1.16%$117,000
Plymouth County1.08%$199,800
Pocahontas County1.02%$90,400
Polk County1.72%$252,300
Pottawattamie County1.48%$193,800
Poweshiek County1.11%$173,600
Ringgold County1.18%$143,100
Sac County0.95%$119,500
Scott County1.52%$196,500
Shelby County1.03%$152,900
Sioux County1.14%$220,700
Story County1.47%$250,700
Tama County1.28%$129,400
Taylor County1.06%$104,500
Union County1.61%$113,800
Van Buren County0.92%$107,700
Wapello County1.51%$105,800
Warren County1.46%$234,300
Washington County1.24%$182,400
Wayne County1.01%$98,700
Webster County1.44%$130,400
Winnebago County1.38%$121,700
Winneshiek County1.14%$225,400
Woodbury County1.48%$178,500
Worth County1.03%$130,600
Wright County1.27%$105,400
Source: American Communities Survey 2022, U.S. Census

How to use the mortgage calculator

To use our mortgage calculator, add your details to the following fields:
  1. Home price
  2. Down payment
  3. Interest rate
  4. Loan term (years)
After you enter this information, the calculator displays the monthly payment, as well as:
  • Total principal
  • Total interest payments
  • Payoff date
Video thumbnail

Calculating costs in addition to principal and interest

The calculator lets you fine-tune your payment by entering your annual property tax premium, annual home insurance premium, monthly homeowner association (HOA) fee, and monthly private mortgage insurance (PMI) premium.
To enter this information, click “Show Advanced Info” underneath the main loan details. Note that you'll enter the annual cost for property taxes and home insurance and the monthly cost for HOA fees and PMI premiums. The PMI field will only display if your down payment is less than 20%.
In the “Loan Estimate” window, select "Amortization Schedule" to uncover a table that shows how much you'll pay in principal and interest each month, as well as the remaining amount you owe ("Principal balance") after making the payment.
» MORE: What is mortgage amortization?

Explanation of terminology

  • Total monthly payment: An estimate of all your monthly housing costs, covering your loan principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and PMI.
  • Total principal: This is the amount you borrow. Each mortgage payment reduces the principal you owe.
  • Total interest payments: How much interest you would pay over the life of the loan.
  • Total loan payments: The entire amount of principal and interest paid, excluding taxes, insurance, and PMI.
  • Down payment: The portion of the home’s price you pay in cash upfront. 
  • Interest rate: How much the lender charges you to lend you the money. Interest rates are expressed as an annual percentage. A lower interest rate gives you a smaller monthly payment.
  • Loan term (years): The number of years you have to repay the mortgage. A longer term gives you a lower monthly payment, but you’ll pay more interest.
  • Start date: The month that your first mortgage payment is due.
  • Payoff date: The month your home will be fully paid off based on the loan term.
  • Property taxes: The annual tax assessed by a government authority on your home and land. You pay about one-twelfth of your annual property tax bill with each mortgage payment, and the servicer saves them in an escrow account. When the taxes are due, the loan servicer pays them.
  • Homeowners insurance: Your policy covers damage and financial losses from fire, storms, theft, a tree falling on your house and other bad things. As with property taxes, you pay roughly one-twelfth of your annual homeowners insurance premium each month, and the servicer pays the bill when it's due.
  • Monthly HOA fees: The amount you may pay each month if you belong to a homeowners association. Typically, these dues are billed directly, not added to the monthly mortgage payment. Because HOA dues can be easy to forget when considering the cost of homeownership, NerdWallet's mortgage calculator allows you to enter them here.
  • Private mortgage insurance: If you get a conventional mortgage and put down less than 20%, you’ll have to pay a monthly PMI premium. It covers the lender if you default on the loan and can be canceled once you reach 20% equity. FHA loans require a similar fee called a mortgage insurance premium. 
If you're looking to see how much you could save by refinancing your mortgage, try NerdWallet's refinance calculator.
» MORE FOR CANADIAN READERS: Canada mortgage payment calculator
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