How many renters live in Black Hawk County, Iowa?
The County of Black Hawk County has 130,274 people living in 54,689 households.
There are 41,625 renters living in 19,040 renter households in this County. Renters make up 31.95 percent of the population living in Black Hawk County.
What is the rental market like in Black Hawk County, Iowa?
There are an estimated 58,929 housing units in the Black Hawk County area. Of these, 20,144 units are rental homes, making up 34 percent of the housing market. For every renter household in Black Hawk County, Iowa, there are 1 rental units.
What is the vacancy rate for rentals in Black Hawk County?
The rental vacancy rate in Black Hawk County is 4 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 Black Hawk County for each bedroom size?
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Black Hawk County
| Studio | One-Bedroom | Two-Bedroom | Three-Bedroom | Four+ Bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 401 | 3,697 | 8,858 | 3,687 | 1,993 |
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Black Hawk County
A large number of apartments in Black Hawk County 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 Black Hawk County are overburdened by housing costs?
Among renter households in this market, 53 percent have housing cost burden. Further, 28 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 Black Hawk County
Depending on size, the Fair Market Rent - HUDs measurement of the cost of an average housing unit - ranges from $640 to $1,602. FMRs are updated annually by HUD for every city and county nationwide.
| Bed Size | 2024 Fair Market Rents |
| Studio | $640 |
| One BR | $737 |
| Two BR | $944 |
| Three BR | $1,250 |
| Four BR | $1,602 |
2024 Fair Market Rents in Black Hawk County, Iowa
How many units are rented at Fair Market Rent (FMR) in Black Hawk County?
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 |
| Studio | 170 | 42 percent |
| One BR | 2,591 | 70 percent |
| Two BR | 4,327 | 49 percent |
Rental Units Below FMR in Black Hawk County, Iowa
How many affordable rental units are in Black Hawk County?
There are a variety of federal affordable housing programs serving households in Black Hawk County, Iowa including the following:
| Federal Program | Unit Count |
| Low Income Housing Tax Credit | 1,092 |
| Public Housing | 50 |
| Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance | 960 |
| USDA Section 515 Rural Rental Housing | 54 |
Tracked Units by Federal Program in Black Hawk County, Iowa
Rental units may be funded in part by multiple federal programs.
Income Based Apartments in Black Hawk County, Iowa
Black Hawk County features 1,147 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 Black Hawk County, Iowa
There are 716 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in Black Hawk County.
Housing Choice Vouchers in Black Hawk County, Iowa
On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay Black Hawk County landlords $500 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $300 towards rent in Black Hawk County.
The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in Black Hawk County, Iowa for a two-bedroom apartment is between $850 and $1,038.
Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.
