Black Hawk County vs Scott County
Black Hawk County, Iowa versus Scott 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 edges out Scott County on overall objective livability (48 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Black Hawk County | Scott County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $62k | $73k |
| Cost of Living | $41k | $42k |
| Home Value | $173k | $198k |
| Monthly Rent | $932 | $919 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.59% | 1.57% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 5.91% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.68% | 12.47% |
| Unemployment | 5.2% | 4.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 19°F | 22°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.5 in | 37.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.8 in | 35.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 233 days | 237 days |
| Summer Humidity | 64°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 90 days | 90 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 76.6 | 84.9 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 60.4 | 44.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1001/100k | 1556/100k |
| Property Crime | 1418/100k | 2451/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 131,041 | 174,315 |
| Median Age | 35.5 | 38.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.32 | 0.32 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 79.4% | 78.0% |
| Black (%) | 9.6% | 6.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.7% | 7.3% |
| Asian (%) | 2.6% | 2.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.6% | 5.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | 20 min |
| Walkability | 7.8/20 | 7.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 173 mi | 141 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.8% | 87.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 11.22 | 5.74 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
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 Scott County more affordable?
- Black Hawk County has the lower cost of living: its index is $41k, compared with Black Hawk County's $41k and Scott County's $42k. Median rent is $932 in Black Hawk County versus $919 in Scott County.
- Is Black Hawk County or Scott County safer?
- Black Hawk County has the lower violent crime rate. Black Hawk County reports 1001/100k and Scott County reports 1556/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Black Hawk County or Scott County?
- The median home value is $173k in Black Hawk County and $198k in Scott County, so homes are more affordable in Black Hawk County.