Cost of Living & Housing in Winterset
Winterset's cost of living runs genuinely at the higher end of this project's Iowa Tier C batch, reflecting real tourism draw and Des Moines-metro proximity, offset against Iowa's real, low flat income tax.
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Learn moreThe highest housing costs of this batch, with a real cross-source spread
Winterset's housing figures carry a real, disclosed, unusually wide cross-source spread this pass found: a May 2026 median sale price around $297,000, a listing-based typical value around $259,552, and Realtytrac's own lower estimated value around $244,526 -- genuinely the highest of this project's six Iowa Tier C markets, though still below national medians (base record).
A 1.62% effective property tax rate and the batch's highest dollar bill
Winterset's own 1.62% effective property tax rate (Ownwell) combines with its higher home values to produce a $3,194 median annual tax bill -- the highest dollar figure among this project's six Iowa Tier C markets, and $794 above the national median bill (base record).
Iowa's 3.8% flat income tax and no local-option add-on
Iowa's real, current flat individual income tax rate is 3.8% on all taxable income for tax year 2026, with no local-option city or county income tax anywhere in the state and a full exemption for Social Security and qualifying retirement income for residents 55 and older (base record).
Confirm current rent and employer data directly
A reliable, city-specific median rent figure and a confirmed, current named-employer list for Winterset were not found with confidence this pass -- confirm both directly with a local property manager and the Winterset Chamber/Main Street organization (base record).
Key takeaways
- Winterset's housing runs $244,500-$297,000 depending on source, the highest among this project's six Iowa Tier C markets, though still below national medians.
- Winterset's own 1.62% effective property tax rate produces a $3,194 median annual bill, the highest dollar figure in this batch.
- Iowa's 3.8% flat income tax and full Social Security/55+ retirement-income exemption apply in Winterset as they do statewide.
- A confirmed, current rent figure and named-employer list were not found with confidence this pass -- confirm both directly.
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