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Featured local agent — Council Bluffs, IA
Sarah Mitchell
Compass Real Estate · Council Bluffs, IA
“Your trusted relocation specialist since 2009. 350+ homes sold. Zero-pressure, data-first approach.”
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Council Bluffs, IA Housing Market
The typical home in Council Bluffs, IA is worth $229,838, rose 1.7% over the past year (Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026). The last median sale price Redfin published was $227,000, +10.7% year over year (through May 2026). With 1.3 months of supply and homes going under contract in about 22 days, Council Bluffs is a strong seller's market. At today's 7.03% 30-year fixed rate, 20% down on a $229,838 home is about $1,227/mo in principal and interest.
Key numbers for Council Bluffs, IA
Typical home value
$229,838
+1.7% in 12 months
Zillow, August 2026
Typical asking rent
$1,350/mo
Zillow Observed Rent Index
Zillow, August 2026
Median sale price
$227,000
+10.7% year over year
Redfin, through May 2026
Days on market
22
Average pace
Redfin, through May 2026
Active listings
98
1.3 months of supply
Redfin, through May 2026
30-yr fixed rate
7.03%
Freddie Mac weekly average
Freddie Mac via FRED, September 2026
Median household income
$64,092
Home costs 3.6x income
U.S. Census ACS, 2023
Sale-to-list ratio
100.4%
Selling above asking
Redfin, through May 2026
Zillow figures are as of August 2026 and refresh monthly. Redfin figures are through May 2026 — Redfin stopped publishing its public market trackers in June 2026, so those numbers are final, not current. Mortgage rates come from Freddie Mac via FRED and update weekly.
Is Council Bluffs a buyer's or seller's market?
Council Bluffs, IA is a strong seller's market, based on 1.3 months of supply and homes selling in about 22 days. Under 2 months of supply is a severe shortage: expect competition on almost anything priced correctly, and little room to negotiate below asking.
Inputs are Redfin's final published period (May 2026). How we classify markets · Where the data comes from
What does the Council Bluffs housing market data show?
Every row below is Redfin's final published month for Council Bluffs, IA. Redfin, through May 2026
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median sale price | $227,000 |
| Median list price | $225,000 |
| Year-over-year price change | +10.7% |
| Median price per sq ft | $158/sq ft |
| Median days on market | 22 days |
| Active inventory | 98 listings |
| Months of supply | 1.3 months |
| Sale-to-list price ratio | 100.4% |
| Homes sold (that month) | 74 |
| New listings (that month) | 77 |
| Listings with a price cut | 26.5% |
| Market condition | Strong seller's market |
How to read these numbers
- Median sale price
- Half the homes that closed sold for more than this, half for less. It moves with what kind of home sold that month, so a quiet month with two big sales can swing it. Redfin's figure for Council Bluffs is frozen at May 2026.
- Typical home value (ZHVI)
- Zillow's estimate of what a mid-market home in Council Bluffs is worth right now, whether or not it sold. It is smoother than the median sale price and it still refreshes monthly, which is why this page leads with it.
- Months of supply
- How long it would take to sell every active listing at the current pace. Under 3 favors sellers, over 6 favors buyers, and 3 to 6 is the balanced band.
- Days on market
- Median time from listing to accepted offer. Short means you should have financing ready before you tour; long means there is room to negotiate on price and repairs.
- Sale-to-list ratio
- Sale price divided by the last asking price. Above 100% means bidding above asking is normal here; below 100% means the typical buyer got a discount.
- Price per square foot
- The size-adjusted price. Use it to compare a 1,400 sq ft house to a 2,600 sq ft house, not to value your own home — lot, condition and age move it a lot.
- Listings with a price cut
- Share of active listings that dropped their asking price in the month. A high share is the earliest visible sign that sellers are ahead of what buyers will pay.
- Typical asking rent (ZORI)
- Zillow's repeat-rent index for asking rents on new leases. Paired with the home value it gives the price-to-rent ratio in the rent-vs-buy section below.
How have Council Bluffs home prices moved?
Over the last three years the median sale price in Council Bluffs, IA rose 22.7%, from $185,000 to $227,000. The live Zillow value series has rose 1.7% in the last 12 months, which is the more current read now that Redfin's series has stopped. 26.5% of Council Bluffs listings cut their asking price in the final Redfin month — a high share, and the clearest sign that list prices were running ahead of what buyers would pay. For prices to fall meaningfully from here, supply would have to keep building past 1.3 months while the sale-to-list ratio slips below its current 100.4%. Watch those two together — they move before the median does.
Redfin, through May 2026 — the chart ends at Redfin's final published month.
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What does it cost to buy a home in Council Bluffs?
Priced off the typical home value of $229,838 at the current 7.03% 30-year fixed rate. These are principal and interest only — property taxes, homeowner's insurance, HOA dues and mortgage insurance are on top, and they vary enough by property that we will not guess them for you.
| Down payment | Cash at close | Loan amount | Monthly P&I |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20% | $45,968 | $183,870 | $1,227/mo |
| 5% | $11,492 | $218,346 | $1,457/mo |
Zillow, August 2026 for the price · Freddie Mac via FRED, September 2026 for the rate
What income do you need?
Lenders generally want housing costs under 28% of gross income. On the 20%-down payment of $1,227, that implies roughly $52,586 a year before you add taxes and insurance. The median household in Council Bluffs earns $64,092, about $11,506 more than that threshold — the typical local household clears the payment on a typical local home with 20% down. That puts the price-to-income ratio at 3.6x — above the historical 3x norm but in line with much of the country in 2026.
Run it with your own numbers: affordability calculator · mortgage calculator
Buying in Council Bluffs in the next 12 months?
Tell us your timeline. We send the Council Bluffs market brief: the price ranges that actually clear, how long homes sit, and what to fix on your credit before you apply.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Council Bluffs?
Typical asking rent in Council Bluffs, IA is $1,350/mo, against a typical home value of $229,838. That is a price-to-rent ratio of 14.2x, which means buying tends to beat renting on monthly cost over a typical hold. Compared head to head, 20% down puts principal and interest at $1,227 a month — $123 less than renting before taxes and insurance, so ownership can win on monthly cost alone once you have the down payment.
Zillow, August 2026 for both value and rent
Add your own down payment, tax rate and time horizon in the rent vs. buy calculator.
Is inventory rising or falling in Council Bluffs?
Active listings in Council Bluffs, IA went from 128 in May 2025 to 98 in May 2026, a -23.4% change. Falling inventory tightens competition. When supply drops while demand holds, sale-to-list ratios rise before the median sale price does.
| Month | Active listings | New listings |
|---|---|---|
| June 2025 | 130 | 96 |
| July 2025 | 137 | 107 |
| August 2025 | 140 | 95 |
| September 2025 | 141 | 88 |
| October 2025 | 150 | 99 |
| November 2025 | 129 | 55 |
| December 2025 | 107 | 42 |
| January 2026 | 93 | 54 |
| February 2026 | 95 | 64 |
| March 2026 | 100 | 76 |
| April 2026 | 109 | 97 |
| May 2026 | 98 | 77 |
Redfin, through May 2026
How does Council Bluffs compare to Iowa and the U.S.?
Council Bluffs homes sell for $227,000 — 12% below the Iowa median of $258,700. Against the national median of $410,700, Council Bluffs runs 45% lower. Year-over-year, Council Bluffs moved +10.7% against Iowa's +2.3% — a bigger swing than the state as a whole.
| Market | Median sale price | YoY | Days on market |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council Bluffs, IA | $227,000 | +10.7% | 22 days |
| Iowa statewide | $258,700 | +2.3% | 37 days |
| United States | $410,700 | not published | not published |
City and state rows: Redfin, through May 2026 · U.S. row: Freddie Mac via FRED, April 2026 (MSPUS, quarterly)
What to do next in Council Bluffs
What buyers should watch
- Months of supply, currently 1.3. It turns before price does — when it climbs past 6, sellers start taking offers they would have rejected a quarter earlier.
- The share of listings cutting price, currently 26.5%. A listing that has already cut once is the one most likely to accept below asking.
- The gap between 5% and 20% down here is $230 a month in principal and interest alone, before mortgage insurance. That gap, not the price, is usually what decides your timeline.
- Rate moves. At 7.03%, every full point of rate change moves the payment on a $229,838 home more than a 5% price change does.
- Your credit tier before you shop, not after — it sets the rate you are quoted. Run your numbers first.
What sellers should know
- The median Council Bluffs listing goes under contract in 22 days. If yours passes that mark, the market is telling you the price is wrong — not that you need more showings.
- Homes here close at 100.4% of asking. Price at the number you want and let competition do the rest.
- In the last published month Council Bluffs added 77 new listings against 74 sales — more competition arriving than clearing, so early timing matters.
- Your equity moved +1.7% in the last 12 months on the Zillow value series. That, not the price you paid, is what sets your net proceeds.
- Comparable ZIP-level pricing inside Council Bluffs varies more than the citywide median suggests — check the ZIP pages below before you set a number.
Homes for sale in Council Bluffs
There are currently 98 homes listed for sale in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The median listing price is $225K.
Active listings
98
Homes on market
Median list price
$225K
Avg. days on market
22
Days until sale
New this week
77
Newly listed
How much do homes cost in Council Bluffs by property type?
How the Council Bluffs, IA market breaks down across single-family homes, condos and townhouses. Redfin, through May 2026
| Property type | Median price | Price / sq ft | Homes sold | Days on market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family | $216,000 | $158/sq ft | 68 | 24 days |
| Condo / co-op | $156,000 | $108/sq ft | 1 | 20 days |
| Townhouse | $317,750 | $198/sq ft | 4 | 7 days |
Who lives in Council Bluffs?
American Community Survey estimates for Council Bluffs. U.S. Census ACS, 2023
Population
62,564
Households
25,894
Median income
$64,092/yr
Median age
39 years
Owner-occupied
64.1%
Median home value
$164,300
Median gross rent
$980/mo
Mean commute
18.6 min
64.1% of occupied homes in Council Bluffs are owner-occupied, and the rest are rented — which is the share that decides how much of the local housing stock ever reaches the for-sale market. The Census self-reported median home value is $164,300 against Zillow's $229,838 typical value; the gap is normal — ACS asks owners what they think their home is worth, Zillow models transactions. Census median gross rent (all leases, including long-held ones) is $980/mo, below Zillow's $1,350/mo asking rent on new leases — the difference is roughly what a mover pays over a stayer.
Which public schools serve Council Bluffs?
17 schools tracked · 11,188 students
The largest public schools serving Council Bluffs, IA by enrollment, drawn from the National Center for Education Statistics. School quality is a commonly cited factor in home-buying decisions — these are the campuses families in this area are most likely to encounter.
Abraham Lincoln High School
Grades 9-12 · 1,358 students
Thomas Jefferson High School
Grades 9-12 · 1,206 students
Lewis Central Senior High School
Grades 9-12 · 1,002 students
Gerald W Kirn Middle School
Grades 6-8 · 914 students
Titan Hill Intermediate School
Grades 2-5 · 910 students
Woodrow Wilson Middle School
Grades 6-8 · 866 students
Lewis Central Middle School
Grades 6-8 · 730 students
E A Kreft Primary School
Grades PK-1 · 504 students
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data directory. Updated annually. Ratings and test scores are not currently displayed.
Which cities are near Council Bluffs, IA?
Ordered by distance from Council Bluffs, not by size. Compare Council Bluffs side by side with any of them.
Council Bluffs housing market FAQ
Is Council Bluffs a buyer's or seller's market?
Council Bluffs, IA is currently a strong seller's market. That read comes from 1.3 months of supply, homes going under contract in about 22 days, and sellers getting 100.4% of their asking price in the last month Redfin published (May 2026).
How much do homes cost in Council Bluffs?
The typical home in Council Bluffs, IA is worth $229,838 (Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026). The median sale price in the last month Redfin published was $227,000, about $158 per square foot.
Is Council Bluffs cheaper than the rest of Iowa?
Council Bluffs's median sale price of $227,000 is 12% lower than the Iowa statewide median of $258,700, and 45% below the U.S. median of $410,700. Both figures are for the same period.
How long do homes take to sell in Council Bluffs?
Homes in Council Bluffs, IA spent a median of 22 days on market before going under contract, versus 37 days statewide. That is a normal pace: enough time to see a home twice, not enough to wait a month. (Redfin, through May 2026.)
What income do you need to buy a home in Council Bluffs?
At the current 30-year fixed rate of 7.03%, 20% down on a $229,838 home is about $1,227 a month in principal and interest. Lenders typically want that under 28% of gross income, which works out to roughly $52,586 a year before taxes, insurance, HOA dues or mortgage insurance. The local median household income is $64,092.
Are home prices rising in Council Bluffs?
The typical home value in Council Bluffs, IA rose 1.7% over the last 12 months, from $226,018 to $229,838 (Zillow, August 2026). This is the live series — it refreshes monthly.
What are the cheapest ZIP codes in Council Bluffs?
Council Bluffs ZIP-level sale prices are not all published for the same period, so ranking them would compare different months. The ZIP pages listed on this page show what we hold for each one individually.
Is now a good time to buy in Council Bluffs?
That depends on your timeline, not on a headline. What the data says today: Council Bluffs, IA is a strong seller's market with 1.3 months of supply, the 30-year fixed rate is 7.03%, and the price-to-rent ratio of 14.2x means buying tends to beat renting on monthly cost over a typical hold. Properties Incorporated publishes the data; it does not give financial advice.
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