What HUD offices serve Essex, 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 Essex.
How many renters live in Essex, Iowa?
The City of Essex has people living in households.
There are renters living in renter households in this City. Renters make up 21.06 percent of the population living in Essex.
What is the rental market like in Essex, Iowa?
There are an estimated housing units in the Essex area. Of these, units are rental homes, making up percent of the housing market. For every renter household in Essex, Iowa, there are 1.07 rental units.
What is the vacancy rate for rentals in Essex?
The rental vacancy rate in Essex is 0 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 Essex for each bedroom size?
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Essex
| Studio | One-Bedroom | Two-Bedroom | Three-Bedroom | Four+ Bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 35 | 21 | 17 | 12 |
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Essex
A large number of apartments in Essex have two or fewer bedrooms. Seniors and young professionals especially may have more success finding an apartment that meets their needs.
How Much Is Rent in Essex
Depending on size, the Fair Market Rent - HUDs measurement of the cost of an average housing unit - ranges from $630 to $1,277. FMRs are updated annually by HUD for every city and county nationwide.
| Bed Size | 2024 Fair Market Rents |
| Studio | $630 |
| One BR | $656 |
| Two BR | $862 |
| Three BR | $1,081 |
| Four BR | $1,277 |
2024 Fair Market Rents in Essex, Iowa
How many units are rented at Fair Market Rent (FMR) in Essex?
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 | 31 | 89 percent |
| Two BR | 12 | 57 percent |
Rental Units Below FMR in Essex, Iowa
How many affordable rental units are in Essex?
There are a variety of federal affordable housing programs serving households in Essex, Iowa including the following:
| Federal Program | Unit Count |
| Public Housing | |
| USDA Section 515 Rural Rental Housing |
Tracked Units by Federal Program in Essex, Iowa
Rental units may be funded in part by multiple federal programs.
Income Based Apartments in Essex, Iowa
Essex features 15 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 Essex, Iowa
There are 18 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in Essex.
Housing Choice Vouchers in Essex, Iowa
On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay Essex landlords $0 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $0 towards rent in Essex.
The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in Essex, Iowa for a two-bedroom apartment is between $776 and $948.
Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.