Finding a Home: Postville Housing

With a 33% growth in its workforce during the last two years, Agirprocessors growth has fueled a housing shortage in Postville. This housing shortage is being met by the construction of new single-family and apartment housing construction.

According to the 2000 census, median household income in Postville was $32,667 and the median house value was $64,300; the cost of a new home in Postville is significantly less than the median home cost in both Iowa and the nation as a whole.

According to City-Data.Com, in 2000, Postville contained 835 homes, roughly 70% of which were owner-occupied. In 2000, 70% of the homes in Postville were single-family, 24% were multi-family, and 6% were mobile homes. The median asking price for vacant for-sale houses in 2000 was $33,800. The median asking rent for vacant for-rent unit in 2000 was $175 per month.

Since 2000, a number of new apartment buildings and single-family residences have been constructed in Postville. Ron Wahls, Guidance Counselor for the Postville Public Schools, built two, three-story apartment buildings on the northern edge of the city, which overlook a soccer field that was constructed for the children of building residents. Mr. Wahls plans on building two additional apartment buildings on adjacent lots to meet the demand for more housing.

Following the pattern of previous waves of U.S. immigration, many immigrants who move to Postville choose to live with relatives or friends. Some make this choice to save money, which they may be sending to relatives in their home countries; others double-up while looking for other housing options.

Unlike many cities that have experienced waves of new immigration, Postville residents have not segregated themselves. Postville is a model for integration of its different nationalities.