The 30 cities in Iowa where homes are selling the fastest
If you're buying or selling a home in Iowa in early 2026, competition can make a big difference in your strategy. In faster-moving markets, buyers may need to act quickly and come prepared, with homes going under contract in a matter of days. In other cities, listings are sitting longer as economic uncertainty and high costs give buyers and sellers pause.
Nationwide, housing markets are generally slow, although competition varies widely from the Northeast to the South. Understanding where homes are selling the fastest can help buyers gauge how competitive a market is and help sellers set realistic expectations.
To see where homes are selling the fastest in Iowa right now, Redfin Real Estate ranked the top cities based on their average "days on market"—the time it takes for a new listing to go under contract. The lower the number, the more competitive the city. Rankings are based on the December 2025 monthly average or monthly average median.
#1. Carlisle, Iowa
- Days on market: 7
- Median sale price: $253,250
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 102.1%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 50.0%
- See Carlisle homes for sale
#2. Perry, Iowa
- Days on market: 11
- Median sale price: $209,500
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 99.0%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 33.3%
- See Perry homes for sale
#3. Cedar Falls, Iowa
- Days on market: 12
- Median sale price: $256,250
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 99.1%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 44.0%
- See Cedar Falls homes for sale
#4. Maxwell, Iowa
- Days on market: 14
- Median sale price: $179,950
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 98.5%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 0.0%
- See Maxwell homes for sale
#5. Missouri Valley, Iowa
- Days on market: 14
- Median sale price: $155,000
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 97.1%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 33.3%
- See Missouri Valley homes for sale
#6. Monticello, Iowa
- Days on market: 15
- Median sale price: $184,500
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 98.5%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 0.0%
- See Monticello homes for sale
#7. Waverly, Iowa
- Days on market: 19
- Median sale price: $253,900
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 98.1%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 50.0%
- See Waverly homes for sale
#8. Clive, Iowa
- Days on market: 22
- Median sale price: $385,000
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 98.1%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 22.7%
- See Clive homes for sale
#9. Storm Lake, Iowa
- Days on market: 22
- Median sale price: $158,000
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 98.2%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 42.9%
- See Storm Lake homes for sale
#10. Waterloo, Iowa
- Days on market: 23
- Median sale price: $162,500
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 97.0%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 46.7%
- See Waterloo homes for sale
#11. West Burlington, Iowa
- Days on market: 27
- Median sale price: $108,500
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 98.4%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 100.0%
- See West Burlington homes for sale
#12. Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- Days on market: 28
- Median sale price: $192,250
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 99.1%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 22.0%
- See Cedar Rapids homes for sale
#13. Ames, Iowa
- Days on market: 30
- Median sale price: $259,900
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 98.6%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 21.9%
- See Ames homes for sale
#14. DeWitt, Iowa
- Days on market: 30
- Median sale price: $269,000
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 98.8%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 50.0%
- See DeWitt homes for sale
#15. Nevada, Iowa
- Days on market: 30
- Median sale price: $220,000
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 97.4%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 0.0%
- See Nevada homes for sale
#16. Marshalltown, Iowa
- Days on market: 30
- Median sale price: $141,500
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 95.1%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 23.8%
- See Marshalltown homes for sale
#17. Marion, Iowa
- Days on market: 31
- Median sale price: $267,812.50
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 99.6%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 26.9%
- See Marion homes for sale
#18. Sioux City, Iowa
- Days on market: 31
- Median sale price: $218,000
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 99.0%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 26.2%
- See Sioux City homes for sale
#19. Muscatine, Iowa
- Days on market: 32
- Median sale price: $174,500
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 96.7%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 21.4%
- See Muscatine homes for sale
#20. Grundy Center, Iowa
- Days on market: 33
- Median sale price: $164,000
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 100.7%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: not available
- See Grundy Center homes for sale
#21. Des Moines, Iowa
- Days on market: 33
- Median sale price: $210,000
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 97.7%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 23.5%
- See Des Moines homes for sale
#22. West Des Moines, Iowa
- Days on market: 33
- Median sale price: $316,000
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 97.8%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 14.8%
- See West Des Moines homes for sale
#23. Vinton, Iowa
- Days on market: 34
- Median sale price: $185,000
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 96.8%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 0.0%
- See Vinton homes for sale
#24. Council Bluffs, Iowa
- Days on market: 34
- Median sale price: $235,000
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 97.4%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 41.0%
- See Council Bluffs homes for sale
#25. Le Claire, Iowa
- Days on market: 34
- Median sale price: $330,500
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 98.1%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 25.0%
- See Le Claire homes for sale
#26. Bettendorf, Iowa
- Days on market: 36
- Median sale price: $293,000
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 98.1%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 8.3%
- See Bettendorf homes for sale
#27. Pella, Iowa
- Days on market: 36
- Median sale price: $378,500
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 97.4%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 25.0%
- See Pella homes for sale
#28. Huxley, Iowa
- Days on market: 39
- Median sale price: $315,000
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 98.8%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 0.0%
- See Huxley homes for sale
#29. Davenport, Iowa
- Days on market: 39
- Median sale price: $199,750
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 97.9%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 11.4%
- See Davenport homes for sale
#30. Knoxville, Iowa
- Days on market: 40
- Median sale price: $159,000
- Average sale-to-list ratio: 96.5%
- Share of homes that went off market in two weeks: 28.6%
- See Knoxville homes for sale
