Alta vs Newell
Alta, Iowa versus Newell, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Alta and Newell score about the same overall (47 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Alta | Newell |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $70k | $64k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $45k |
| Home Value | $118k | $102k |
| Monthly Rent | $861 | $627 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $599 | $246 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.05% | 1.34% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.06% | 10.42% |
| Unemployment | 15.4% | 5.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 17°F | 17°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.8 in | 33.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 36.4 in | 30.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 235 days | 224 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 87 days | 87 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 68.5 | 74.1 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 51 AQI |
| School Quality | 52.2 | 51.1 |
| Violent Crime | 1160/100k | 1160/100k |
| Property Crime | 842/100k | 842/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 2,207 | 892 |
| Median Age | 36.7 | 35.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.45 | 0.11 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.02 | 1.25 |
| Political Leaning | R+26 | R+26 |
| White (%) | 65.2% | 91.0% |
| Black (%) | 5.9% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 15.2% | 4.0% |
| Asian (%) | 11.1% | 0.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.6% | 4.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 13 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 6.8/20 | 7.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 99 mi | 101 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.3% | 89.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 31.72 | 22.42 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Alta or Newell more affordable?
- Newell has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Alta's $45k and Newell's $45k. Median rent is $861 in Alta versus $627 in Newell.
- Is Alta or Newell safer?
- Newell has the lower violent crime rate. Alta reports 1160/100k and Newell reports 1160/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Alta or Newell?
- The median home value is $118k in Alta and $102k in Newell, so homes are more affordable in Newell.