Metropolitan Area

Dubuque, IA

Iowa0
61
/100
Buy
#484 of 894 metros
Top 54% nationally for investing

Market Snapshot

$279,463
Median Home Price
10% above national median
$1,123/mo
Median Rent
19% below national median
4.82%
Rent-to-Price Ratio
Top 77% nationally
-$735
Est. Monthly Cash Flow
With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Home values and rents: available snapshot

Only one observation is stored for Dubuque, IA. A historical trend cannot be calculated from this snapshot.

Typical home value (ZHVI)
$279,463
Source period: 2026-05-31
Monthly rent index (ZORI)
$1,123
Source period: 2026-05-31

Stored snapshot: 2026-06-29. Source dates describe the underlying observations, not today’s market.

Quick Investment Calculator

20%
5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$279,463
Down Payment (20%)$55,893
Loan Amount$223,570
Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,123
Monthly P&I-$1,465
Est. Expenses (35%)-$393
Net Cash Flow-$735/mo
3.1%
Cap Rate (all cash)
-13.7%
Cash-on-Cash Return
4.82%
Rent-to-Price Ratio
Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 3.1% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on metro-wide median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Individual counties and properties vary significantly.

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score
61/100
61
Cash Flow(30%)
42/100

Based on 4.82% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)
89/100

Based on 6.0% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)
50/100

Based on 0.0% population growth. Growing areas indicate economic stability.

Affordability(20%)
70/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow metro-level home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. This metro score represents area-wide averages; individual counties may vary significantly.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

  • +Strong price appreciation (+6.0% YoY)
  • +Affordable relative to local incomes
  • +Low unemployment (0.0%)

Challenges

  • -Below-average rent-to-price ratio (4.82%)
  • -Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$735/mo)
  • -Negative leverage (cap rate 3.1% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Counties in Dubuque, IA

County data is being compiled for this metro area.

Section 8 in Dubuque, IA: payment standards by ZIP, PHA waitlist status, and voucher counts are on VoucherMatch, the same HUD dataset with the tenant demand side attached.

Compare to Similar Metros

Metro AreaVerdict
Elmira, NY
Elmira, NY
81$161,607$1,2639.38%Strong BuyView
Lamesa, TX
Lamesa, TX
81$113,282Est.Strong BuyView
Lincoln, IL
Lincoln, IL
81$142,630Est.Strong BuyView
Union City, TN
Union City, TN
80$166,036Est.Strong BuyView
Guymon, OK
Guymon, OK
80$168,571Est.Strong BuyView
Current
Dubuque, IA
61$279,463$1,1234.82%Buy

The Bottom Line

BuyDubuque, IA offers solid investment potential with good cash flow or appreciation prospects.

The Dubuque, IA metro area scores 61/100, ranking #484 of 894 US metros (top 54%). The 4.82% rent-to-price ratio may require targeting specific counties or creative strategies for positive cash flow. Current metro-wide averages make traditional buy-and-hold investing challenging. Consider house hacking, value-add strategies, or drilling down to specific counties.

Monthly Cash Flow
$-735/mo
Cap Rate
3.1%
Cash-on-Cash
-15.8%

Ready to Invest in Dubuque, IA?

Use our investment calculators to run detailed numbers on specific properties, or explore individual counties for more targeted opportunities.