Groundwork

Market rankings · Iowa

Real estate agents and brokers in Iowa

Every metro area, small-town market and county in Iowa, ranked by the Groundwork market score for real estate agents and brokers, with competitor counts and household spending for each.

Listings
2,671
83 chain locations (3%)
Official establishments
1,195
+20.8% since 2019
Household spending a year
$18.4B
On rent and homeowner costs
Listings per 10k households
20.3
34% below the U.S.
Housing spending per listing (U.S. = 100)
127
27% above the U.S.
Rank among states
#17 of 51
Market score 54 · Upper middle

A site report maps the real estate agents and brokers on map listings around any address in Iowa by name and distance, and the spending within reach.

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Survey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure

What this means

Iowa has 2,671 real estate agents and brokers on map listings as of September 2026. Of those, 83 are chain locations, or 3%, against 4% across the U.S. Per 10,000 households, that is 20.3, 34% below the U.S. rate of 30.6.

At $14,016 per household (16% below the U.S. average), households in Iowa spend about $18.4B a year on rent and homeowner costs. Housing spending per office is 27% above the U.S. figure. The spending figure is all rent and homeowner costs, a measure of housing demand, not money real estate agents and brokers take in.

Official counts show 1,195 businesses with payroll classed as offices of real estate agents and brokers in Iowa in 2023, up 20.8% from 2019. That is one for every 1,101 households, against one for every 788 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 20.1% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 8 SBA-backed loans worth $3.5M have gone to businesses classed as offices of real estate agents and brokers in Iowa.

Among the 50 states and DC, Iowa ranks #17 for real estate agents and brokers, with a Groundwork market score of 54 (upper middle). Of the 9 scored metro areas in or partly in Iowa, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls metro area scores highest (53). Of the 15 scored small-town markets in or partly in Iowa, the Fort Madison area scores highest (60).

Every market in Iowa for real estate agents and brokers

Download the ranking (CSV)

Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Iowa, highest first; the U.S. rank compares each market with every other of its kind. A metro area that crosses a state line is listed in each state it reaches, and numbered only in the state its page is under. How the score works.

Metro areas

Metro areas reaching Iowa, ranked for real estate agents and brokers by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsHousing spending per listing (U.S. = 100)Population growthU.S. rank
1Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA5312718.3137+0.5%#148 of 387
2Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL5228917.9142−0.9%#157 of 387
3Iowa City, IA5216823.2113+4.1%#166 of 387
4Cedar Rapids, IA5122619.8132+1.0%#171 of 387
5Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA4580827.4100+6.7%#236 of 387
6Sioux City, IA-NE-SD4313324.0106+1.0%#251 of 387
7Dubuque, IA409422.9113+0.1%#278 of 387
Omaha, NE-IA401,06227.2100+4.2%#280 of 387
8Ames, IA3811523.1111+2.2%#298 of 387

Small-town markets

Small-town markets reaching Iowa, ranked for real estate agents and brokers by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsHousing spending per listing (U.S. = 100)Population growthU.S. rank
1Fort Madison, IA60128.4282−3.6%#129 of 533
2Ottumwa, IA601410.0238−0.3%#130 of 533
3Le Mars, IA551413.61930.0%#187 of 533
4Oskaloosa, IA541112.6194−1.2%#199 of 533
5Marshalltown, IA542113.6182−0.5%#202 of 533
6Storm Lake, IA531215.9159−1.7%#221 of 533
7Pella, IA532216.5157+2.3%#223 of 533
8Clinton, IA442713.8178−0.9%#336 of 533
9Carroll, IA381618.2139−2.0%#414 of 533
10Burlington, IA-IL363115.6152−2.5%#439 of 533
11Mason City, IA344118.0138−1.5%#465 of 533
12Fort Dodge, IA342717.6137−0.4%#466 of 533
13Muscatine, IA333017.3142−3.0%#474 of 533
14Spencer, IA311723.3104−0.8%#497 of 533
15Spirit Lake, IA294652.051+1.7%#510 of 533

Counties

Counties in Iowa, ranked for real estate agents and brokers by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsHousing spending per listing (U.S. = 100)Population growthU.S. rank
1Benton County, IA7587.8339+1.8%#80 of 2,176
2Warren County, IA672210.6260+9.0%#296 of 2,176
3Buchanan County, IA63910.9231+1.3%#415 of 2,176
4Cedar County, IA6267.9328−0.7%#451 of 2,176
5Jasper County, IA622114.0180+0.9%#476 of 2,176
6Jackson County, IA6156.1414−0.8%#500 of 2,176
7Hamilton County, IA6157.8325−0.5%#501 of 2,176
8Lee County, IA59128.4282−3.6%#578 of 2,176
9Wapello County, IA591410.0238−0.3%#586 of 2,176
10Shelby County, IA58612.3211−0.2%#640 of 2,176
11Mills County, IA58713.0211+2.6%#641 of 2,176
12Sioux County, IA581814.2189+2.5%#645 of 2,176
13Bremer County, IA581414.4183+1.1%#646 of 2,176
14Guthrie County, IA56510.9240+1.6%#725 of 2,176
15Madison County, IA56913.4201+3.8%#733 of 2,176
16Jones County, IA551113.4186+2.9%#781 of 2,176
17Crawford County, IA5457.9310−1.5%#806 of 2,176
18Plymouth County, IA541413.61930.0%#816 of 2,176
19Washington County, IA541213.4190+0.6%#818 of 2,176
20Mahaska County, IA531112.6194−1.2%#868 of 2,176
21Marshall County, IA532113.6182−0.5%#873 of 2,176
22Buena Vista County, IA521215.9159−1.7%#937 of 2,176
23Marion County, IA522216.5157+2.3%#939 of 2,176
24Henry County, IA5167.8312−5.4%#975 of 2,176
25Iowa County, IA51811.6216−1.0%#979 of 2,176
Show all 99 counties
Counties in Iowa, ranked for real estate agents and brokers by Groundwork market score, continued
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsHousing spending per listing (U.S. = 100)Population growthU.S. rank
26Tama County, IA49710.4233−1.5%#1,073 of 2,176
27Cass County, IA49610.3233−1.2%#1,074 of 2,176
28Clayton County, IA49810.7227−1.1%#1,075 of 2,176
29Winneshiek County, IA491417.2149−1.6%#1,093 of 2,176
30Louisa County, IA48511.8214−3.7%#1,136 of 2,176
31Delaware County, IA471317.6144+1.3%#1,212 of 2,176
32Wright County, IA46916.8148−0.9%#1,271 of 2,176
33Johnson County, IA4615624.6107+4.6%#1,291 of 2,176
34Clinton County, IA442713.8178−0.9%#1,359 of 2,176
35O’Brien County, IA44915.5158+0.5%#1,365 of 2,176
36Dallas County, IA4412830.199+17.8%#1,385 of 2,176
37Allamakee County, IA431016.8147+1.2%#1,408 of 2,176
38Pottawattamie County, IA436617.5144−0.7%#1,410 of 2,176
39Floyd County, IA411015.4159−4.4%#1,506 of 2,176
40Kossuth County, IA40913.8178−3.2%#1,558 of 2,176
41Carroll County, IA401618.2139−2.0%#1,564 of 2,176
42Linn County, IA4020721.7121+0.7%#1,580 of 2,176
43Hardin County, IA39912.8186−2.2%#1,630 of 2,176
44Black Hawk County, IA3911120.3121+0.4%#1,644 of 2,176
45Harrison County, IA391321.3121+0.4%#1,645 of 2,176
46Des Moines County, IA382916.9141−2.0%#1,679 of 2,176
47Webster County, IA382717.6137−0.4%#1,680 of 2,176
48Muscatine County, IA373017.3142−3.0%#1,728 of 2,176
49Polk County, IA3762330.389+4.8%#1,760 of 2,176
50Cherokee County, IA36917.8140−2.4%#1,782 of 2,176
51Boone County, IA362321.0125+0.4%#1,788 of 2,176
52Dubuque County, IA369422.9113+0.1%#1,796 of 2,176
53Woodbury County, IA3610926.893+0.7%#1,809 of 2,176
54Story County, IA359223.6108+2.7%#1,849 of 2,176
55Scott County, IA3519626.898+0.4%#1,854 of 2,176
56Clay County, IA341723.3104−0.8%#1,895 of 2,176
57Chickasaw County, IA33918.0139−2.8%#1,927 of 2,176
58Cerro Gordo County, IA314121.0118−1.5%#1,993 of 2,176
59Fayette County, IA301416.8141−2.1%#2,012 of 2,176
60Poweshiek County, IA291721.8114−1.4%#2,043 of 2,176
61Page County, IA281320.8111−2.3%#2,074 of 2,176
62Jefferson County, IA261318.7126−2.5%#2,106 of 2,176
63Dickinson County, IA234652.051+1.7%#2,137 of 2,176
64Winnebago County, IA211021.5112−3.8%#2,148 of 2,176
65Appanoose County, IA201019.2117−1.7%#2,157 of 2,176
66Union County, IA181529.378−2.5%#2,167 of 2,176
Butler County, IANot scored11.71,478−2.0%
Grundy County, IANot scored23.9678+0.2%
Lyon County, IANot scored48.9288+3.6%
Hancock County, IANot scored48.6283−2.2%
Mitchell County, IANot scored48.7290+0.6%
Montgomery County, IANot scored36.5359−3.2%
Franklin County, IANot scored37.1324−1.2%
Keokuk County, IANot scored717.2139−2.0%
Calhoun County, IANot scored410.0244−3.4%
Sac County, IANot scored24.6528−2.7%
Clarke County, IANot scored614.7169−1.6%
Humboldt County, IANot scored37.1352−2.0%
Howard County, IANot scored718.6131−0.8%
Emmet County, IANot scored49.8238−2.5%
Davis County, IANot scored412.5202+1.3%
Palo Alto County, IANot scored25.3471−1.0%
Lucas County, IANot scored513.5171+2.6%
Greene County, IANot scored410.2239−1.0%
Monona County, IANot scored37.7311−2.4%
Decatur County, IANot scored13.3699−0.9%
Monroe County, IANot scored825.994−2.5%
Adair County, IANot scored412.4201−1.3%
Worth County, IANot scored00.0n/a−1.3%
Van Buren County, IANot scored26.9338−1.2%
Pocahontas County, IANot scored620.0119−3.5%
Ida County, IANot scored26.6369−3.4%
Wayne County, IANot scored415.6155+3.6%
Fremont County, IANot scored13.5711−0.8%
Osceola County, IANot scored27.6323−3.6%
Taylor County, IANot scored416.1148−0.5%
Audubon County, IANot scored27.7307−3.0%
Ringgold County, IANot scored947.4530.0%
Adams County, IANot scored16.5388−2.5%

Markets with fewer than 5 real estate agents and brokers on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.

Questions

How many real estate agents and brokers are in Iowa?

Map listings as of September 2026 show 2,671 real estate agents and brokers in Iowa. 83 of them (3%) are chain locations. The listings count real estate agents and brokerages, commercial brokers included. Official counts show 1,195 businesses with payroll classed as offices of real estate agents and brokers in 2023, up 20.8% from 2019.

How much do households in Iowa spend on rent and homeowner costs?

About $18.4B a year, or $14,016 per household. That is 16% below the U.S. average (an index of 84, where 100 is the U.S. average). For the 2,671 real estate agents and brokers on map listings, housing spending per office is 27% above the U.S. figure. That figure is all rent and homeowner costs, used as a measure of housing demand; it is not money real estate agents and brokers take in. It is estimated from the incomes of the 1,315,707 households in Iowa and national spending patterns by income.

How does Iowa compare with the U.S. for real estate agents and brokers?

Iowa has 20.3 real estate agents and brokers per 10,000 households, 34% below the U.S. rate of 30.6. The index of housing spending per office is 127, where 100 is the U.S. At the U.S. ratio of real estate agents and brokers to household spending, Iowa would have about 3,382, against 2,671 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,101 households, against one for every 788 across the U.S. The official count rose 20.8% from 2019 to 2023, against +20.1% for the U.S.

Which market in Iowa has the highest market score for real estate agents and brokers?

Among 9 scored metro areas in or partly in Iowa, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls metro area scores highest, at 53 (upper middle). Among 15 scored small-town markets in or partly in Iowa, the Fort Madison area scores highest, at 60 (upper middle). Among 66 scored counties in Iowa, Benton County scores highest, at 75 (high). Scores compare each market with others of its kind across the U.S.

What is the Groundwork market score?

The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. Iowa scores 54 for real estate agents and brokers (upper middle), #17 of the 50 states and DC.

How can I see the market around a specific site?

Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Iowa. It maps the real estate agents and brokers on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.

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This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.