Johnson County vs Linn County
Johnson 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.
Johnson County and Linn County score about the same overall (45 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Johnson County | Linn County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $73k | $75k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $43k |
| Home Value | $278k | $189k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $878 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.60% | 1.73% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.39% | 12.61% |
| Unemployment | 3.8% | 3.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 22°F | 20°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.2 in | 37.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.9 in | 32.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 245 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 83 days | 93 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 87.4 | 86.7 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 54 AQI |
| School Quality | 55.3 | 64.8 |
| Violent Crime | 1172/100k | 1115/100k |
| Property Crime | 1555/100k | 2153/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 153,360 | 229,308 |
| Median Age | 30.6 | 38.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.36 | 0.26 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | D+44 | D+14 |
| White (%) | 76.5% | 83.7% |
| Black (%) | 7.3% | 5.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.9% | 3.6% |
| Asian (%) | 6.1% | 2.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.2% | 4.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 9.3/20 | 10.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 192 mi | 190 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.4% | 90.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 15.78 | 6.59 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | 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 Johnson County or Linn County more affordable?
- Linn County has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Johnson County's $45k and Linn County's $43k. Median rent is $1k in Johnson County versus $878 in Linn County.
- Is Johnson County or Linn County safer?
- Linn County has the lower violent crime rate. Johnson County reports 1172/100k and Linn County reports 1115/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Johnson County or Linn County?
- The median home value is $278k in Johnson County and $189k in Linn County, so homes are more affordable in Linn County.