Real Estate Investing in Lake Mills, Iowa

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

1 ZIP codes • Population: 3,001 • Winnebago County

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Should you buy in Lake Mills, IA? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (61/100)

Mixed signals — some positives, some negatives. Worth considering but not a slam-dunk.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
1 flag
  • High vacancy: 12.3% of homes vacant — above national norms.

What’s happening in Lake Mills, IA?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Citywide average

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

3.6% 5yr CAGR

5.0/ 5

Landlord Climate

Regulatory friendliness

🏦 30-yr Fixed Rate: 6.95% as of Sep 17 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS
Avg Investability
Avg Home Value $170,530
Avg Monthly Rent $828
ZIP Codes 1

Investing in Lake Mills Real Estate

Across Lake Mills's 1 ZIPs, the picture is sluggish: $171K median values, $828/mo rents, and a population that has faced real economic pressure.

Investors considering Lake Mills, IA should understand what the ★★★☆☆ rating represents — a market with material structural headwinds, not a temporary rough patch.

Market conditions in Lake Mills are tepid. Days-on-market has stretched, rent growth has stalled, and the 0.0% 5-year CAGR understates how uneven the underlying ZIPs really are.

Distressed-leaning demographics in Lake Mills — soft income growth, high rent burden, population shifts — are among the reasons the ★★★☆☆ rating sits where it does.

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Best ZIP codes in Mason City, IA

Lake Mills is part of this metro. Every ZIP in it, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →

Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in Lake Mills, IA. Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Avg Home Value
$170,530
Avg Monthly Rent
$828
1% Rule
✗ Below
Landlord Friendly (IA)

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Mason City, IA metro

2/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
2/3
66%
Days Pending
0/2
0 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

☀️ Warm Market — Mason City, IA metro
0
Days to pending
7.6%
Listings with price cuts
0.0%
Sale-to-list ratio
📅 Data as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly

ZIP Codes in Lake Mills, IA

Screen every ZIP in Lake Mills

Filter Lake Mills’s ZIPs by cap rate, vacancy, appreciation and 30+ more criteria, and export your shortlist to CSV — with the Investor plan ($19/mo).

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Frequently Asked Questions About Lake Mills, IA

How much do tenants pay in Lake Mills, IA?

Rent in Lake Mills, IA is around $828/mo. The resulting rent-to-value relationship with $171K pricing is reasonable for most investor models.

What investment strategy works best in Lake Mills, IA?

In Lake Mills, IA the durable play is typically careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management. The combination of $171K prices and $828/mo rents suits that approach.

Are homes affordable in Lake Mills, IA?

Lake Mills, IA home values average about $171K. That price point suits investors targeting rentals with $828/mo in monthly income.

Can I live-in-and-rent in Lake Mills, IA?

House hacking in Lake Mills, IA is a challenging. With home values around $171K and rents at $828/mo, owner-occupants can offset a meaningful share of PITI.

Are renters plentiful in Lake Mills, IA?

Lake Mills, IA draws a stable base of working renters. Demand at the $828/mo rent level is reasonable for standard single-family and small multi rentals.

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