Mason City, IA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Iowa·Mason City

Cerro Gordo County · Mason City · population 26,948

Affordability
Mason City, IA
Image: Wikipedia · Mason City, Iowa
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
66
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Mason City stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $157,194
1-year +2.6%
5-yr CAGR +5.6%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population -0.4%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$157k$83k$110k$137k$163k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
15/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
78/100
Strong remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
63 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
68 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
40 · w16%
Home 10-yr CAGR
65 · w10%
Long thesis

Mason City offers a $157,194 median home with +5.6% annualized 5-year appreciation. Affordability + positive trend is one of the better risk/reward setups in US residential — small downside, room to compound.

Short thesis

Mason City's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Mason City

Mason City is a city in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, with an estimated population of 26,948. The median home value in Mason City is $157,194 as of 2026-04, up 2.6% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +5.6% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. The composite momentum score is 66 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Affordable AND rising: median home $157,194 with positive recent direction — rare combination most of the country can’t offer.
●Healthy 5-year run: +5.6% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +2.6% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

●Flat or shrinking population: -0.4% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — verify the source.
○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Mason City (Wikipedia)

Mason City is a city in and the county seat of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 27,338 in the 2020 census. Mason City is known for its musical and masonry heritage, as well as being home to a significant collection of Prairie School style architecture. Along with nearby Clear Lake, the city forms a regional commercial, industrial, and cultural hub for north-central Iowa.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Cerro Gordo County right now.

NWS active alerts (IA)Iowa Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Cerro Gordo County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Mason City

Cedar Falls, IA67 · RisingCouncil Bluffs, IA65 · RisingSioux City, IA68 · RisingStorm Lake, IA70 · Rising

Run the numbers for Mason City

ToolCan I afford Mason City?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Mason City rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Mason City to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolMason City cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
28° / 11°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
84° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
200
~55% of year
Annual precip
36″ rain
30″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
High
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
High

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Mason City listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Mason City area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
72%
Humid climate
Median household income
$70,500
Iowa state median
Top industries (state-level)
InsuranceManufacturingAgriculture

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

Cities similar to Mason City

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