Black Hawk County vs Linn County
Black Hawk County, Iowa versus Linn County, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Black Hawk County and Linn County score about the same overall (48 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Black Hawk County | Linn County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $62k | $75k |
| Cost of Living | $41k | $43k |
| Home Value | $173k | $189k |
| Monthly Rent | $932 | $878 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.59% | 1.73% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.68% | 12.61% |
| Unemployment | 5.2% | 3.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 19°F | 20°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.5 in | 37.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.8 in | 32.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 233 days | 245 days |
| Summer Humidity | 64°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 90 days | 93 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 76.6 | 86.7 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 54 AQI |
| School Quality | 60.4 | 64.8 |
| Violent Crime | 1001/100k | 1115/100k |
| Property Crime | 1418/100k | 2153/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 131,041 | 229,308 |
| Median Age | 35.5 | 38.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.32 | 0.26 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+14 |
| White (%) | 79.4% | 83.7% |
| Black (%) | 9.6% | 5.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.7% | 3.6% |
| Asian (%) | 2.6% | 2.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.6% | 4.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 7.8/20 | 10.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 173 mi | 190 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.8% | 90.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 11.22 | 6.59 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Black Hawk County or Linn County more affordable?
- Black Hawk County has the lower cost of living: its index is $41k, compared with Black Hawk County's $41k and Linn County's $43k. Median rent is $932 in Black Hawk County versus $878 in Linn County.
- Is Black Hawk County or Linn County safer?
- Black Hawk County has the lower violent crime rate. Black Hawk County reports 1001/100k and Linn County reports 1115/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Black Hawk County or Linn County?
- The median home value is $173k in Black Hawk County and $189k in Linn County, so homes are more affordable in Black Hawk County.