What HUD offices serve West Branch, Iowa?
Public Housing Agencies operate federally assisted affordable housing programs at local levels on behalf of HUD. Notably, housing agencies are responsible for managing Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, Public Housing, and Project-Based Voucher waiting lists within their jurisdiction.
Go to the Iowa Public Housing and Low-Income Apartments Waiting Lists page for openings near West Branch.
How many renters live in West Branch, Iowa?
The City of West Branch has 2,503 people living in 981 households.
There are 397 renters living in 221 renter households in this City. Renters make up 15.86 percent of the population living in West Branch.
What is the rental market like in West Branch, Iowa?
There are an estimated 1,066 housing units in the West Branch area. Of these, 235 units are rental homes, making up 22 percent of the housing market. For every renter household in West Branch, Iowa, there are 1 rental units.
What is the vacancy rate for rentals in West Branch?
The rental vacancy rate in West Branch is 6 percent. This is a lower than average vacancy rate. When rental vacancy rates are low there are fewer available units. Rents tend to be higher as more people compete for scarce housing.
How many rental units are in West Branch for each bedroom size?
Occupied Rental Units by Size in West Branch
| Studio | One-Bedroom | Two-Bedroom | Three-Bedroom | Four+ Bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 44 | 118 | 54 | 5 |
Occupied Rental Units by Size in West Branch
A large number of apartments in West Branch have two or fewer bedrooms. Seniors and young professionals especially may have more success finding an apartment that meets their needs.
How many renter households in West Branch are overburdened by housing costs?
Among renter households in this market, 44 percent have housing cost burden. Further, 9 percent of households are extremely rent overburdened. When renters pay too much for their housing, it leaves little money for other necessities like food, clothes, or medicine.
The federal government says that renters are cost-burdened if they pay more than a third of their monthly income for rent and utilities.
How Much Is Rent in West Branch
Depending on size, the Fair Market Rent - HUDs measurement of the cost of an average housing unit - ranges from $673 to $1,228. FMRs are updated annually by HUD for every city and county nationwide.
| Bed Size | 2024 Fair Market Rents |
| Studio | $673 |
| One BR | $702 |
| Two BR | $922 |
| Three BR | $1,153 |
| Four BR | $1,228 |
2024 Fair Market Rents in West Branch, Iowa
How many units are rented at Fair Market Rent (FMR) in West Branch?
Renters with a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher must select a home that is at or below the area’s Fair Market Rent. Markets with a large share of units above FMR tend to have longer search times to find a qualified unit, while those with a large share of units below FMR tend to have more choices and shorter search times. The share below FMR can vary by size of unit, as shown in the table below.
These are the approximate number of units renting below the FMR in this market:
| Unit Size | Count of Units Below FMR | Percentage of Total Units Below FMR |
| One BR | 39 | 89 percent |
| Two BR | 77 | 65 percent |
Rental Units Below FMR in West Branch, Iowa
How many affordable rental units are in West Branch?
There are a variety of federal affordable housing programs serving households in West Branch, Iowa including the following:
| Federal Program | Unit Count |
| USDA Section 515 Rural Rental Housing | 11 |
Tracked Units by Federal Program in West Branch, Iowa
Rental units may be funded in part by multiple federal programs.
Income Based Apartments in West Branch, Iowa
West Branch features 11 income based apartments. Tenants of income based apartments typically pay no more than 30% of their income towards rent and utilities.
Low Rent Apartments in West Branch, Iowa
There are 0 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in West Branch.
Housing Choice Vouchers in West Branch, Iowa
On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay West Branch landlords $0 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $0 towards rent in West Branch.
The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in West Branch, Iowa for a two-bedroom apartment is between $830 and $1,014.
Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.