Renting in Indianola, Iowa
Zillow's typical rent in Indianola for September 2026 is $1,034 a month. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey for 2020–2024 puts the median gross rent, which includes the utilities a renter pays, at $986 (± $54) and renter households at 30.1% (± 3.5 points) of the city's occupied homes.
Rent
Of the other eleven typical rents Zillow published for September 2026 for the cities this site covers, none is lower and eleven are higher than Indianola's $1,034 (Zillow Observed Rent Index; what it measures). Zillow's monthly series for Indianola runs without a gap only from April 2026, so there is no September 2025 figure to compare with.
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2020–2024 puts the median gross rent in Indianola at $986 (± $54), in 2024 dollars, with the utilities the renter pays (how it differs from Zillow's figure).
By number of bedrooms
| Bedrooms | Median gross rent |
|---|---|
| 2 bedrooms | $982 ± $38 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,463 ± $193 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,823 ± $171 |
Renters in Indianola
Of the 6,152 (± 220) occupied homes in Indianola, about 1,851 (± 226) are rented: 30.1%, with a margin of error of 3.5 points.
Median household income in Indianola, in 2024 dollars: renter households $38,555 (± $6,135) and owner households $99,083 (± $9,466).
Of the 1,781 (± 236) renter households for which the survey could compute rent as a share of income, 46.6% (± 9.3 points) paid 30% or more of household income in gross rent and 13.5% (± 4.8 points) paid 50% or more.
Type of building
| Building | Share of rented homes |
|---|---|
| 1-unit buildings: detached houses, and attached ones such as row houses | 26.6% ± 7.2 points · about 493 homes |
| Buildings with 2 to 4 units | 9.1% ± 4.2 points · about 168 homes |
| Buildings with 5 to 19 units | 31.2% ± 7.1 points · about 577 homes |
| Buildings with 20 or more units | 32.3% ± 8.1 points · about 597 homes |
| Mobile homes, boats, RVs and vans | 0.9% ± 1.4 points · about 16 homes |
Shares of 1,851 (± 226) rented homes.
American Community Survey 2020–2024, 90% margins of error. Left out for Indianola, with the reason (the limits): median gross rent for 5 or more bedrooms (no estimate published), studios (margin of error 51% of the median) and 1 bedroom (margin of error 33% of the median).
Owning the typical home, month by month
The Buy vs Rent calculator's arithmetic for a home at Zillow's typical value for Indianola. Zillow's typical rent there is $1,034 a month (September 2026). It covers apartments as well as houses and condos, so it describes different homes from the typical value priced here.
| Per month | 10% down$31,314; loan $281,824 | 20% down$62,628; loan $250,510 |
|---|---|---|
| Home priceZillow typical value, September 2026 | $313,138 | $313,138 |
| Principal and interest30-year fixed at 7.18%: Freddie Mac's U.S. average, week ending November 5, 2026 | $1,909 | $1,697 |
| Property tax$5,030 a year: Indianola city, Indianola schools, Warren County district, $37.36620 per $1,000, after the 44.5345% rollback, less the homestead credit | $419 | $419 |
| Insurance allowance0.5% of the price a year | $130 | $130 |
| Maintenance allowance1% of the price a year | $261 | $261 |
| Monthly cost to own | $2,720 | $2,508 |
Rounded to the dollar, totals before rounding. The price stands in for the assessed value. The tax takes off the homestead credit, as the calculator does; a buyer now gets the new homestead exemption instead (how this is figured). Not counted: mortgage insurance, closing costs, HOA dues, utilities, equity and changes in value.
Open these numbers in the Buy vs Rent calculator (10% down) →
Indianola rental-housing rules
What the City of Indianola says about rental housing in the city, quoted from two of its pages and documents as of November 5, 2026:
- “Rental properties within the city limits of Indianola must be registered and inspected every two years (unless otherwise stated on your rental certificate). Owners or their designated agent are required to register these properties.” (Rental Registration)
- “Rental properties include non-owner occupied units, even those that are occupied by family members who are not the owners.” (Rental Registration)
- “When a tenant is in need of a problem or issue addressed within their rental unit or on the rental property, they may send a letter to the landlord/property owner requesting that the problem be addressed. If the issue is not resolved to the tenants satisfaction, the tenant may request the city to conduct a complaint-based inspection.” (Property Owners & Property Managers)
The city's own wording. The Iowa Code's rules apply as well.
More on Indianola
- Buying a home in Indianola
- Indianola property taxes
- School district: Indianola
- Iowa renter rules
- Renting in the Des Moines metro
← Renting in Grimes · Renting in Norwalk →
Sources
- Zillow Research, Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), cities, all homes plus multifamily, monthly. Retrieved November 5, 2026. (listing page)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, by place: tables B25064, B25031, B25003, B25070, B25032 and B25119, via the Census Data API. Retrieved November 5, 2026.
- Zillow Research, Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), cities, single-family homes and condos, middle tier, monthly. Retrieved November 5, 2026. (listing page)
- Freddie Mac, via FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis), 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the United States (MORTGAGE30US). Retrieved November 5, 2026. Copyright, 2016, Freddie Mac. Reprinted with permission.
- Warren County Auditor, Warren County Tax Rates for Property Assessed January 1, 2025 and to be Collected July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 (updated). Retrieved November 5, 2026. (listing page)
- City of Indianola, Rental Registration. Retrieved November 5, 2026.
- City of Indianola, Property Owners & Property Managers. Retrieved November 5, 2026.
Definitions, formulas and the Iowa Code: the renting page's sources. This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Published figures for the dates named, not a quote for any home or lease. Not financial, legal or real-estate advice.