The Federal Housing Finance Agency published the 2025 Q4 Housing Price Index report. In the past year, home prices in our regional markets have increased: 4.25% in Cedar Rapids, 6.53% in the Quad Cities, 5.98% in Dubuque*, 4.10% in Iowa City*, and 2.02% in Waterloo-Cedar Falls*. This compares to other cities: Des Moines, 2.47%, and Chicago, 6.50%. Appreciation varies by location and price range, with more affordable homes often seeing stronger gains due to higher demand and tighter supply, while higher-end properties tend to appreciate at a slower pace.
The five-year home appreciation in our region was between 34.58% and 47.56%, with all of our regional Metropolitan Statistical Areas experiencing positive gains.
National data show home prices rose 1.8 percent between the fourth quarter of 2024 and the fourth quarter of 2025. House prices for the fourth quarter of 2025 rose 0.8 percent compared to the third quarter of 2025. Nationally, the U.S. housing market has experienced positive annual appreciation each quarter since the start of 2012.
“Despite a slow start to the year due to unusually cold and snowy weather, sales activity and demand have been strong. Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors have 8% more in pending sales volume through week 12 this year than we had at the same time last year. This bodes well for the continuation of appreciation in home prices going forward,” said Caroline Ruhl, CEO of Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors.
Percent Change in House Prices
| Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) | Q4 2025 | 1 Year | 5 Years |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 1.17% | 4.25% | 38.50% |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 2.94% | 6.53% | 41.95% |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | -0.05% | 2.47% | 41.95% |
| Dubuque, IA* | 1.89% | 5.98% | 47.56% |
| Iowa City, IA* | -1.05% | 4.10% | 34.58% |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA* | 0.28% | 2.02% | 38.35% |
| Regional Average | 0.86% | 4.23% | 43.20% |
| United States | 0.75% | 1.82% | 43.20% |
About Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors
A family-owned company since 1862, Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors has grown to 274 sales associates, 59 employees, and 10 offices, selling nearly 4,200 homes in eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois, and southwest Wisconsin in 2025. The company has residential sales offices in Bettendorf, Burlington, Cedar Rapids, Clinton, Davenport, DeWitt, Dubuque, Iowa City, and Muscatine, Iowa; and in Moline, Illinois. For more information on Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors, visit their website at www.RuhlHomes.com.
