Last updated on September 17, 2026

Average rent in
Mason City, IA

Median rent

Median rent in Mason City

$895/mo

decreased by27%

vs previous year

The average rent in Mason City is $895 per month as of September 2026. This is 53% below the national average rent, or $1,005 less per month.

$1.17

average price per square foot

Total rentals

Available rentals in Mason City

21

for rent on Zumper.com as of September 2026

Rent price distribution

Share of Mason City rentals at each price point

50%38%25%13%0%
$0 - $750
$751 - $1,500
$1,501 - $2,250
$2,251 - $3,000
$3,001+

Rent trends in Mason City, IA

Average rent prices in Mason City have increased by 6% over the last month and have decreased by 27% since last year.

Rent trends

Rent prices on this page are calculated on a rolling 30-day basis and updated daily.

Compare rent prices in Mason City, IA

Rent prices in Mason City vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in Mason City is $795, whereas a house costs $1,391. 1-bedroom apartments in Mason City run $675 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $795.

Listings

Studio

$1,000

7%

79%

1 bedroom

$695

1%

30%

2 bedroom

$1,472

6%

12%

3 bedroom

$2,325

3%

33%

Studio

Average rent

$1,000

Last 30 days

7%

Last year

79%

1 bedroom

Average rent

$695

Last 30 days

1%

Last year

30%

2 bedroom

Average rent

$1,472

Last 30 days

6%

Last year

12%

3 bedroom

Average rent

$2,325

Last 30 days

3%

Last year

33%

The table above reflects average rent prices in Mason City, IA, broken down by the number of bedrooms, neighborhoods, and property types. The availability of data for each category is dependent on market inventory and will adjust depending on your selected filters.

How does rent in Mason City, IA compare to other cities?

Compare median rent prices in Mason City and Ames by all bedroom counts and property types.

Mason City

Median rent price$895
decreased by53%

lower than the national median

Median rent price$950
decreased by50%

lower than the national median

Takeaway

The median rent for all rentals in Mason City, IA is 6% lower than the median rent in Ames, IA.

Cost of living in Mason City, IA

Explore the cost of essential expenses, and then use our rent calculator to find out how much rent you can afford.

Expenses
accrued by most renters
Average cost
compared to national average
Goods & Services1% lower
Groceries3% lower
Health3% lower
Housing24% lower
TransportationNo difference
Utilities4% lower

Discover rentals in Mason City, IA

Mason City 8-Unit - Photo 1 of 1

2d ago

8

Very good

Mason City 8-Unit

333 W State St, Mason City, IA 50401

1 bed

1 bath

$550

Mason City 16 - Photo 1 of 1

2d ago

8

Very good

Mason City 16

216 3rd St Ne, Mason City, IA 50401

1 bed

1 bath

$550

220 3rd St Ne #1 - Photo 1 of 1

5d+ ago

Apartment for rent in Mason City

Sherlock Apartments - 1 Bedroom

220 3rd St Ne #1, Mason City, IA 50401

1 bed

1 bath

$550

Mason City 24 - Photo 1 of 1

2d ago

8.4

Very good

Mason City 24

407 S Tennessee Ave, Mason City, IA 50401

2 beds

1 bath

$750

Stay up to date with rental market insights

Are you interested in licensing our current and historical rental real estate data, or do you have custom data requests? Contact datalicensing@zumper.com.

Frequently asked questions for Mason City, IA

Quick answers to common questions about the Mason City rental market.

How much is rent in Mason City?

The average rent in Mason City is $895 per month as of September 12, 2026.

Is rent up or down in Mason City?

Average rent prices in Mason City have increased by 6% over the last month and have decreased by 27% since last year.

How does Mason City rent compare to the national average?

Rent in Mason City is 53% below the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $1,005 less per month.

What salary do I need to afford rent in Mason City?

To comfortably afford rent in Mason City, you'd need to earn approximately $36,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.

Methodology

Rent prices are based on Zumper's rental listings from the past 30 days. Median rent is calculated across all available listings and property types on the platform. If you filter the page by bedroom count or property type, the pricing throughout the page will update automatically to reflect that segment of the rental market.

Household and population data come from the U.S. Census Bureau. Cost-of-living data is sourced from the Council for Community and Economic Research's Cost of Living Index (COLI).

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