Iowa ranks 11th for the biggest home value increases

DES MOINES – Iowa ranks 11th nationally for the biggest home value increases, with a 1-year percentage increase of 3.30%, according to new data released this week.

The study by home warranty experts Cinch Home Services analyzed Zillow data from August 2025, August 2024, and August 2020 to determine which states have seen the biggest changes in property values over the past year and five years. It used Zillow’s Home Value Index metric, which estimates the typical home value in an area by averaging monthly Zestimate values, which are Zillow’s machine-learning-based estimates of individual home market values, to show how housing prices change over time.

Based on the study, Iowa is positioned just outside the top ten states for annual growth. While it is one of the more affordable markets in the country, it has seen consistent appreciation that outpaces many other states, including its neighbor, Nebraska.

• Rank: 11th
• August 2024 Value: $221,755
• August 2025 Value: $229,072
• 1-Year Dollar Increase: $7,317
• 5-Year Percentage Change: 35.47%

Top 10 States for Annual Home Value Growth (August 2024-2025)

The study shows Wyoming homes gained an average of $18,004 in value over the past year, reaching $366,565 in August 2025. This represents the highest percentage increase nationally. The state also saw a 5-year increase of 37.31%

Kentucky ranks second for annual growth at 4.70%, with average home values increasing by $10,006 to reach $222,718. It’s the only southern state to appear in the top ten for annual percentage growth, which is otherwise dominated by northeastern and midwestern states.

New York places third with a 4.17% increase, adding $20,179 to the average home value, which now stands at $504,464. The state continues to see property value increases despite already high prices, with properties now worth an average of $140,851 more than five years ago, which is an increase of 38.74%.

Connecticut and North Dakota round out the top five with increases of 3.90% and 3.85%, respectively. Connecticut home values have shown particularly strong growth over five years, rising 58.55% since August 2020.

Wisconsin, New Jersey, and Illinois secure positions six through eight, with home values rising between 3.72% and 3.59% over the past year. The average New Jersey home now costs $562,460, making it one of the most expensive states for homebuyers.

Rhode Island and Ohio complete the top ten with annual growth rates of 3.44% and 3.43%, respectively. Ohio’s performance is particularly notable given its relatively affordable market, with average home values of just $239,868.

On the other end of the scale, Florida has experienced the largest decrease in home values, with prices falling 5.13% ($20,444) over the past year.

The study also found New Hampshire to be the state with the largest five-year percentage increase in home values at 62.19%, followed by Montana at 59.48% and Connecticut at 58.55%. These states have seen property values increase by more than half since August 2020.

Nationally, the average 2020 home value was found to be $267,853, increasing to $372,238 in 2024, and $375,810 in 2025.

Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson from Cinch Home Services said: “Wyoming’s strong home value growth shows how smaller, less saturated markets continue to pick up in value despite broader market slowdowns. On the other hand, markets such as Florida are adjusting after years of rapid appreciation. It will be interesting to see how all of these values change going into 2026, as Zillow has already predicted nationwide home values to be down 0.9% by the end of the year.”