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Data on this report is based on areas within the legal city boundary, outlined in black on the map. Any additional neighborhoods shown on the map are associated with the city by name and are included for reference only.



Ottumwa, IA Real Estate Market

Source & Methodology

Analytics built by:   Location, Inc.

Raw data sources:   American Community Survey (U.S. Census Bureau), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Housing Finance Agency.

Date(s) & Update Frequency:
  • Home Values, Rents: Reflects Q4 2023. Updated quarterly.
  • Setting, Housing Stock, Homeownership: 2022 (latest available). Updated annually.

Methodology:   NeighborhoodScout uses over 600 characteristics to build a neighborhood profile… Read more about Scout's Real Estate Data

Ottumwa, IA Housing Market Trends

With 25,175 people, 10,201 houses or apartments, and a median cost of homes of $117,292, house prices in Ottumwa are some of the most affordable in Iowa as well as the nation.

Single-family detached homes are the single most common housing type in Ottumwa, accounting for 76.01% of the city's housing units. Other types of housing that are prevalent in Ottumwa include large apartment complexes or high rise apartments ( 12.76%), duplexes, homes converted to apartments or other small apartment buildings ( 7.26%), and a few mobile homes or trailers ( 2.57%).

People in Ottumwa primarily live in small (one, two or no bedroom) single-family detached homes. Ottumwa has a mixture of owner-occupied and renter-occupied housing.

At the end of World War II, American soldiers returned home triumphant and, with the help of the GI Bill, built homes by the millions on the edges of America's cities. These homes were predominantly capes and ranches, modest in size, but built to house a growing middle-class as the 20th century became the American century. Ottumwa's housing was primarily built during this period, from the '40s through the '60s. A full 40.00% of the city's housing hails from this era. Other housing ages represented in Ottumwa include homes built before 1939 ( 30.98%) and housing constructed between 1970-1999 ( 24.96%). There's also some housing in Ottumwa built between 2000 and later ( 4.06%).

Vacant housing appears to be an issue in Ottumwa. Fully 10.28% of the housing stock is classified as vacant. Left unchecked, vacant Ottumwa homes and apartments can be a drag on the real estate market, holding Ottumwa real estate prices below levels they could achieve if vacant housing was absorbed into the market and became occupied. Housing vacancy rates are a useful measure to consider, along with other things, if you are a home buyer or a real estate investor.

Ottumwa Home Appreciation Rates

Ottumwa's appreciation rate notably has been below the national average for the last ten years. The average annual home appreciation rate in Ottumwa during the period has been just 4.24%, which is lower than 80% of US communities.

Over the last year, Ottumwa appreciation rates have trailed the rest of the nation. In the last twelve months, Ottumwa's appreciation rate has been 4.37%, which is lower than appreciation rates in most communities in America. In the latest quarter, NeighborhoodScout's data show that house appreciation rates in Ottumwa were at 1.02%, which equates to an annual appreciation rate of 4.14%.

Relative to Iowa, our data show that Ottumwa's latest annual appreciation rate is higher than 50% of the other cities and towns in Iowa.

One very important thing to keep in mind is that these are average appreciation rates for the city. Individual neighborhoods within Ottumwa differ in their investment potential, sometimes by a great deal. Fortunately, you can use NeighborhoodScout to pinpoint the exact neighborhoods in Ottumwa - or in any city or town - that have the best track record of real estate appreciation, by the latest quarter, the last year, 2 years, 5 years, 10 years, or even since 2000, to assist you in making the best Ottumwa real estate investment or home purchase decisions.

Average Home Values

Median Home Value

$117,292

Ottumwa, IA Home Prices
> $1,258,000
$944,001 - $1,258,000
$629,001 - $944,000
$503,001 - $629,000
$378,001 - $503,000
$252,001 - $378,000
$126,001 - $252,000
$63,001 - $126,000
$0 - $63,000
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
1.2%
1.2%
1.6%
1.6%
1.3%
1.3%
7.0%
7.0%
26.6%
26.6%
44.1%
44.1%
18.3%
18.3%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes
Very Low

for Iowa

Very Low

for nation

Number of Homes And Apartments:

10,201

Ottumwa Appreciation Rates

Rent & Ownership

Average Market Rent:

$1,331 / per month

Homeownership Rate

Owners
Renters
57.1%
57.1%
42.9%
42.9%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes

Vacancy Rate

Vacant
Occupied
10.3%
10.3%
89.7%
89.7%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes

Housing Market Details

Age of Homes

2000 or Newer
1970 - 1999
1940 - 1969
1939 or Older
4.1%
4.1%
25.0%
25.0%
40.0%
40.0%
31.0%
31.0%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes

Types of Homes

Single-Family
Townhomes
Small Apt. Buildings
Apt. Complexes
Mobile Homes
Other
76.0%
76.0%
1.4%
1.4%
7.3%
7.3%
12.8%
12.8%
2.6%
2.6%
0.0%
0.0%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes

Home Size

No Bedroom
1 Bedroom
2 Bedrooms
3 Bedrooms
4 Bedrooms
5 or more bedrooms
3.1%
3.1%
11.2%
11.2%
38.9%
38.9%
33.6%
33.6%
9.9%
9.9%
3.4%
3.4%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes