Atkins vs Belle Plaine
Atkins, Iowa versus Belle Plaine, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Atkins and Belle Plaine score about the same overall (54 vs 51 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Atkins | Belle Plaine |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $110k | $66k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $43k |
| Home Value | $284k | $109k |
| Monthly Rent | $480 | $678 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $733 | $817 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.26% | 1.44% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.53% | 10.69% |
| Unemployment | 2.7% | 2.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 20°F | 20°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.6 in | 36.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.2 in | 27.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 245 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 92 days | 90 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 50.9 | 43.3 |
| Air Quality | 56 AQI | 55 AQI |
| School Quality | 42.0 | 57.9 |
| Violent Crime | 375/100k | 726/100k |
| Property Crime | 421/100k | 769/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 2,296 | 2,421 |
| Median Age | 39.8 | 44.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.05 | 0.09 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.10 | 1.23 |
| Political Leaning | R+28 | R+28 |
| White (%) | 97.5% | 94.5% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 0.4% | 2.3% |
| Asian (%) | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 1.8% | 3.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 7.4/20 | 6.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 203 mi | 191 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.9% | 88.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 26.13 | 49.57 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
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 Atkins or Belle Plaine more affordable?
- Belle Plaine has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Atkins's $43k and Belle Plaine's $43k. Median rent is $480 in Atkins versus $678 in Belle Plaine.
- Is Atkins or Belle Plaine safer?
- Atkins has the lower violent crime rate. Atkins reports 375/100k and Belle Plaine reports 726/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Atkins or Belle Plaine?
- The median home value is $284k in Atkins and $109k in Belle Plaine, so homes are more affordable in Belle Plaine.