Cost of living in Oelwein, IA — Housing, Rent & Index

All states·Iowa·Oelwein·Cost of living

Housing, rent, and a comparison to the US average.

$111,578
Median home value
/mo
Median rent
31
Cost index (US=100)
+8.0%
Home YoY change

The median home value in Oelwein, IA is $111,578 as of 2026-04. That places Oelwein below the US average for housing cost, with a cost index of approximately 31 versus a national baseline of 100.

Over the past 12 months, the median home value in Oelwein has climbed 8.0%, and over the past five years it has averaged +5.5% annual growth. The current price sits -1.1% from its 5-year peak in 2026-02.

Beyond housing, day-to-day costs in Oelwein are shaped by state and local taxes, utility rates, transportation, and groceries. This page focuses on the housing component, which is the largest single line in most household budgets and the easiest to compare across cities using consistent national data.

Housing

Median home value$111,578
1-year change+8.0%
5-year CAGR+5.5%
10-year CAGR+5.8%
vs 5-year peak-1.1%

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI).

How Oelwein compares

Cost index31 (below US)
Median home vs US (~$355k)-68.6%
Population5,788
Momentum score69 (Rising)

Cost index is currently a housing-only proxy; full BLS basket coming with ACS pull.

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