Counties in Iowa by fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly)

Johnson County had the highest fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly) of 99 counties in 2020, at $1,458. Wright County had the lowest, at $856. The median was $946. Source: the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,458Johnson County
Lowest856Wright County
Median94699 counties

Map of counties, 2020

Adair County: 966 USDAdams County: 962 USDAllamakee County: 910 USDAppanoose County: 856 USDAudubon County: 876 USDBenton County: 882 USDBlack Hawk County: 996 USDBoone County: 997 USDBremer County: 856 USDBuchanan County: 939 USDBuena Vista County: 941 USDButler County: 901 USDCalhoun County: 872 USDCarroll County: 927 USDCass County: 895 USDCedar County: 959 USDCerro Gordo County: 980 USDCherokee County: 991 USDChickasaw County: 991 USDClarke County: 961 USDClay County: 968 USDClayton County: 856 USDClinton County: 947 USDCrawford County: 856 USDDallas County: 1,215 USDDavis County: 911 USDDecatur County: 865 USDDelaware County: 991 USDDes Moines County: 1,058 USDDickinson County: 947 USDDubuque County: 1,048 USDEmmet County: 946 USDFayette County: 856 USDFloyd County: 957 USDFranklin County: 927 USDFremont County: 871 USDGreene County: 913 USDGrundy County: 996 USDGuthrie County: 1,215 USDHamilton County: 884 USDHancock County: 873 USDHardin County: 973 USDHarrison County: 1,272 USDHenry County: 958 USDHoward County: 973 USDHumboldt County: 952 USDIda County: 967 USDIowa County: 991 USDJackson County: 991 USDJasper County: 1,012 USDJefferson County: 926 USDJohnson County: 1,458 USDJones County: 944 USDKeokuk County: 924 USDKossuth County: 894 USDLee County: 912 USDLinn County: 1,104 USDLouisa County: 892 USDLucas County: 983 USDLyon County: 891 USDMadison County: 1,215 USDMahaska County: 880 USDMarion County: 915 USDMarshall County: 978 USDMills County: 1,272 USDMitchell County: 856 USDMonona County: 923 USDMonroe County: 897 USDMontgomery County: 927 USDMuscatine County: 1,049 USDO'Brien County: 958 USDOsceola County: 883 USDPage County: 916 USDPalo Alto County: 891 USDPlymouth County: 991 USDPocahontas County: 886 USDPolk County: 1,215 USDPottawattamie County: 1,272 USDPoweshiek County: 938 USDRinggold County: 976 USDSac County: 980 USDScott County: 1,028 USDShelby County: 931 USDSioux County: 985 USDStory County: 1,191 USDTama County: 865 USDTaylor County: 856 USDUnion County: 947 USDVan Buren County: 940 USDWapello County: 939 USDWarren County: 1,215 USDWashington County: 1,003 USDWayne County: 900 USDWebster County: 929 USDWinnebago County: 936 USDWinneshiek County: 937 USDWoodbury County: 1,001 USDWorth County: 971 USDWright County: 856 USD
  • Under 880
  • 880 to 920
  • 920 to 950
  • 950 to 970
  • 970 to 1,000
  • 1,000 and over
USD, 2020. Source: HUD, HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2020

Johnson County: 1,458 USDJohnson County1,458Harrison County: 1,272 USDHarrison County1,272Mills County: 1,272 USDMills County1,272Pottawattamie County: 1,272 USDPottawattamie County1,272Dallas County: 1,215 USDDallas County1,215Guthrie County: 1,215 USDGuthrie County1,215Madison County: 1,215 USDMadison County1,215Polk County: 1,215 USDPolk County1,215Warren County: 1,215 USDWarren County1,215Story County: 1,191 USDStory County1,191Linn County: 1,104 USDLinn County1,104Des Moines County: 1,058 USDDes Moines County1,058Muscatine County: 1,049 USDMuscatine County1,049Dubuque County: 1,048 USDDubuque County1,048Scott County: 1,028 USDScott County1,028Jasper County: 1,012 USDJasper County1,012Washington County: 1,003 USDWashington County1,003Woodbury County: 1,001 USDWoodbury County1,001Boone County: 997 USDBoone County997Black Hawk County: 996 USDBlack Hawk County996Grundy County: 996 USDGrundy County996Cherokee County: 991 USDCherokee County991Chickasaw County: 991 USDChickasaw County991Delaware County: 991 USDDelaware County991Iowa County: 991 USDIowa County991Jackson County: 991 USDJackson County991Plymouth County: 991 USDPlymouth County991Sioux County: 985 USDSioux County985Lucas County: 983 USDLucas County983Cerro Gordo County: 980 USDCerro Gordo County980Sac County: 980 USDSac County980Marshall County: 978 USDMarshall County978Ringgold County: 976 USDRinggold County976Hardin County: 973 USDHardin County973Howard County: 973 USDHoward County973Worth County: 971 USDWorth County971Clay County: 968 USDClay County968Ida County: 967 USDIda County967Adair County: 966 USDAdair County966Adams County: 962 USDAdams County962Johnson County: 1,458 USDJohnson County1,458Harrison County: 1,272 USDHarrison County1,272Mills County: 1,272 USDMills County1,272Pottawattamie County: 1,272 USDPottawattamie County1,272Dallas County: 1,215 USDDallas County1,215Guthrie County: 1,215 USDGuthrie County1,215Madison County: 1,215 USDMadison County1,215Polk County: 1,215 USDPolk County1,215Warren County: 1,215 USDWarren County1,215Story County: 1,191 USDStory County1,191Linn County: 1,104 USDLinn County1,104Des Moines County: 1,058 USDDes Moines County1,058Muscatine County: 1,049 USDMuscatine County1,049Dubuque County: 1,048 USDDubuque County1,048Scott County: 1,028 USDScott County1,028Jasper County: 1,012 USDJasper County1,012Washington County: 1,003 USDWashington County1,003Woodbury County: 1,001 USDWoodbury County1,001Boone County: 997 USDBoone County997Black Hawk County: 996 USDBlack Hawk County996Grundy County: 996 USDGrundy County996Cherokee County: 991 USDCherokee County991Chickasaw County: 991 USDChickasaw County991Delaware County: 991 USDDelaware County991Iowa County: 991 USDIowa County991Jackson County: 991 USDJackson County991Plymouth County: 991 USDPlymouth County991Sioux County: 985 USDSioux County985Lucas County: 983 USDLucas County983Cerro Gordo County: 980 USDCerro Gordo County980Sac County: 980 USDSac County980Marshall County: 978 USDMarshall County978Ringgold County: 976 USDRinggold County976Hardin County: 973 USDHardin County973Howard County: 973 USDHoward County973Worth County: 971 USDWorth County971Clay County: 968 USDClay County968Ida County: 967 USDIda County967Adair County: 966 USDAdair County966Adams County: 962 USDAdams County962
USD. Source: HUD, HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2020
USD
Change on 2019
1Johnson County1,458+11.8%
2Harrison County1,272+1.8%
2Mills County1,272+1.8%
2Pottawattamie County1,272+1.8%
5Dallas County1,215-0.9%
5Guthrie County1,215-0.9%
5Madison County1,215-0.9%
5Polk County1,215-0.9%
5Warren County1,215-0.9%
10Story County1,191-4.6%
11Linn County1,104-4.4%
12Des Moines County1,058+10.1%
13Muscatine County1,049-3.8%
14Dubuque County1,048-1%
15Scott County1,028-5.4%
16Jasper County1,012+4.2%
17Washington County1,003+9.3%
18Woodbury County1,001-2.5%
19Boone County997+1.7%
20Black Hawk County996-8.4%
20Grundy County996-8.4%
22Cherokee County991+3.2%
22Chickasaw County991+3.2%
22Delaware County991+3.2%
22Iowa County991+3.2%
22Jackson County991+8.7%
22Plymouth County991+10.9%
28Sioux County985+7.2%
29Lucas County983+2.8%
30Cerro Gordo County980+2.1%
30Sac County980+4.3%
32Marshall County978+3.8%
33Ringgold County976+7.5%
34Hardin County973+1.6%
34Howard County973+1.5%
36Worth County971+5.7%
37Clay County968+1.7%
38Ida County967+2.5%
39Adair County966+10.1%
40Adams County962+0.2%
41Clarke County961+1.1%
42Cedar County959+1.2%
43Henry County958+4.8%
43O'Brien County958+3.2%
45Floyd County957+6.2%
46Humboldt County952+9%
47Clinton County947-0.3%
47Dickinson County947+3.3%
47Union County947-1.4%
50Emmet County946+0.2%
51Jones County944+4.3%
52Buena Vista County941+3%
53Van Buren County940+3.5%
54Buchanan County939+2.3%
54Wapello County939+0.6%
56Poweshiek County938+4.6%
57Winneshiek County937+3.2%
58Winnebago County936-2.5%
59Shelby County931-0.1%
60Webster County929+1.6%
61Carroll County927+7.2%
61Franklin County927+3.7%
61Montgomery County927+3.7%
64Jefferson County926-1%
65Keokuk County924+1.2%
66Monona County923+1.2%
67Page County916+3.5%
68Marion County915-1.2%
69Greene County913+4.8%
70Lee County912+1.3%
71Davis County911-0.4%
72Allamakee County910+5.2%
73Butler County901+6.3%
74Wayne County900+1.7%
75Monroe County897+3.3%
76Cass County895+3.8%
77Kossuth County8940%
78Louisa County892+1%
79Lyon County891+3.2%
79Palo Alto County891-0.4%
81Pocahontas County886-0.2%
82Hamilton County884+0.1%
83Osceola County883+2.3%
84Benton County882+1.3%
85Mahaska County880+0.3%
86Audubon County876+1.5%
87Hancock County873+4.9%
88Calhoun County872+3.2%
89Fremont County871+3.8%
90Decatur County865+2.5%
90Tama County865-0.8%
92Appanoose County856+1.9%
92Bremer County856-7.7%
92Clayton County856+2.8%
92Crawford County856+2.9%
92Fayette County856+2.9%
92Mitchell County856+2.9%
92Taylor County856+2.9%
92Wright County856+1.5%

Other periods

About this ranking

Monthly gross rent, in US dollars, that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sets for a three-bedroom unit in the HUD area that contains the county.

More on how it is measured
  • Gross rent is the rent plus all utilities paid by the tenant except telephone, cable or satellite television and internet.
  • HUD sets Fair Market Rents at the 40th percentile of gross rents paid by recent movers for standard-quality rental units, from American Community Survey data brought forward to the fiscal year; until 2018 a few metropolitan areas were set at the 50th percentile.
  • They set payment standards for Housing Choice Vouchers and rent ceilings in other HUD programs.

A policy benchmark, not a measured rent: it is lower than the median rent by design and differs from the Census Bureau median gross rent. HUD sets one value per HUD area, a metropolitan area (sometimes split into HUD Metro FMR Areas) or a non-metropolitan county, so every county of a metropolitan area shows the same figure. Counties in the six New England states have no value, because HUD defines their areas by town and a county can span several areas. Where HUD splits off part of a county, the county value is the rest of the county: Howard County, Maryland, without Columbia until FY2015, and Crawford County, Missouri, without its part of Sullivan. The year is HUD's federal fiscal year: FY2027 runs from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD USER. HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmr2020/FY20_4050_FMRs_rev.xlsx. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research. (2020). HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars (Counties in Iowa by fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly), 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmr2020/FY20_4050_FMRs_rev.xlsx

MLA 9

HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars, Counties in Iowa by fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly), 2020. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research, 2 Mar. 2020, https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmr2020/FY20_4050_FMRs_rev.xlsx. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/fair-market-rent-three-bedroom/iowa-counties?period=2020. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research. 2020. HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars. Counties in Iowa by fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly), 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmr2020/FY20_4050_FMRs_rev.xlsx. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/fair-market-rent-three-bedroom/iowa-counties?period=2020.

Harvard

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research (2020) HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars, Counties in Iowa by fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly), 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmr2020/FY20_4050_FMRs_rev.xlsx, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/fair-market-rent-three-bedroom/iowa-counties?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{department_counties_in_iowa_by_2020,
  author = {{U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research}},
  title = {{HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars: Counties in Iowa by fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly), 2020}},
  year = {2020},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmr2020/FY20_4050_FMRs_rev.xlsx},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/fair-market-rent-three-bedroom/iowa-counties?period=2020. Publisher attribution: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD USER. HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmr2020/FY20\_4050\_FMRs\_rev.xlsx. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research
TI  - HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars: Counties in Iowa by fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly), 2020
PY  - 2020
DA  - 2020/03/02
PB  - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmr2020/FY20_4050_FMRs_rev.xlsx
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/fair-market-rent-three-bedroom/iowa-counties?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/fair-market-rent-three-bedroom/iowa-counties?period=2020.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD USER. HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmr2020/FY20_4050_FMRs_rev.xlsx. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in Iowa by fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly)?

Johnson County, with $1,458 in 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research.

Which county has the lowest fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly)?

Wright County, with $856 in 2020.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research, HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly): other rankings

Counties in Iowa: more rankings