Renting in Johnston, Iowa
Zillow's typical rent in Johnston for September 2026 is $1,356 a month, up 1.7% from $1,333 in September 2025. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey for 2020–2024 puts the median gross rent, which includes the utilities a renter pays, at $1,338 (± $72) and renter households at 29.2% (± 3.8 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, six are lower and five are higher than Johnston's $1,356 (Zillow Observed Rent Index; what it measures).
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2020–2024 puts the median gross rent in Johnston at $1,338 (± $72), in 2024 dollars, with the utilities the renter pays (how it differs from Zillow's figure).
By number of bedrooms
| Bedrooms | Median gross rent |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | $1,237 ± $176 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,136 ± $32 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,364 ± $50 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,665 ± $273 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,830 ± $222 |
Renters in Johnston
Of the 9,259 (± 599) occupied homes in Johnston, about 2,705 (± 396) are rented: 29.2%, with a margin of error of 3.8 points.
Median household income in Johnston, in 2024 dollars: renter households $59,018 (± $7,034) and owner households $153,607 (± $10,640).
Of the 2,652 (± 399) renter households for which the survey could compute rent as a share of income, 46.2% (± 8.1 points) paid 30% or more of household income in gross rent and 25.8% (± 6.4 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 | 13.2% ± 6.5 points · about 356 homes |
| Buildings with 2 to 4 units | 3.5% ± 2.3 points · about 96 homes |
| Buildings with 5 to 19 units | 33.1% ± 7.0 points · about 896 homes |
| Buildings with 20 or more units | 50.2% ± 8.9 points · about 1,357 homes |
| Mobile homes, boats, RVs and vans | 0.0% ± 1.0 point · none in the estimate |
Shares of 2,705 (± 396) rented homes.
American Community Survey 2020–2024, 90% margins of error. Left out for Johnston, with the reason (the limits): median gross rent for 5 or more bedrooms (no estimate published).
Owning the typical home, month by month
The Buy vs Rent calculator's arithmetic for a home at Zillow's typical value for Johnston. Zillow's typical rent there is $1,356 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$40,019; loan $360,175 | 20% down$80,039; loan $320,155 |
|---|---|---|
| Home priceZillow typical value, September 2026 | $400,194 | $400,194 |
| Principal and interest30-year fixed at 7.18%: Freddie Mac's U.S. average, week ending November 5, 2026 | $2,440 | $2,169 |
| Property tax$6,424 a year: Johnston city, Johnston schools, Polk County district, $37.05231 per $1,000, after the 44.5345% rollback, less the homestead credit | $535 | $535 |
| Insurance allowance0.5% of the price a year | $167 | $167 |
| Maintenance allowance1% of the price a year | $333 | $333 |
| Monthly cost to own | $3,476 | $3,204 |
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) →
Johnston rental-housing rules
What the City of Johnston says about rental housing in the city, quoted from two of its pages and documents as of November 5, 2026:
- “No person shall rent, lease, let, operate or otherwise allow the occupancy of any dwelling unit or any portion of any dwelling unit (including single rooms) unless they hold a valid Rental Inspection Certificate.” (Rental Inspections)
- “All rental properties are required to be inspected once every two years.” (Rental Inspections)
- “On July 1, 2013, as required by Iowa Code Chapter 364.17, the Johnston City Council passed Ordinance 887, adopting Chapter 153 of the City Code, known as the Residential Rental Code.” (Rental Housing Program)
The city's own wording. The Iowa Code's rules apply as well.
More on Johnston
- Buying a home in Johnston
- Johnston property taxes
- School district: Johnston
- Iowa renter rules
- Renting in the Des Moines metro
← Renting in Ankeny · Renting in Altoona →
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.
- Polk County Auditor, Consolidated Tax Levy Rates For Polk County, Iowa: For 2025 Assessed Valuations, Taxes Payable September 2026 and March 2027 (City Non-Agricultural section). Retrieved November 5, 2026. (listing page)
- City of Johnston, Rental Inspections. Retrieved November 5, 2026.
- City of Johnston, Rental Housing Program. 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.