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Barnum vs Humboldt

Barnum, Iowa versus Humboldt, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Barnum

Mixed · objective livability48/100

Humboldt

Mixed · objective livability49/100

Barnum and Humboldt score about the same overall (48 vs 49 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorBarnumHumboldt
Affordability
Median Household Income$79k$68k
Cost of Living$41k$43k
Home Value$133k$144k
Monthly Rent$640
Monthly Owner Costs$102$1k
Property Tax Rate1.19%1.63%
Income Tax6.00%6.00%
Sales Tax6.94%6.94%
Estimated total tax burden10.27%11.74%
Unemployment3.6%0.7%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)17°F16°F
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F72°F
Annual Precipitation35.0 in35.0 in
Annual Snowfall39.0 in39.0 in
Sunny Days224 days224 days
Summer Humidity63°F63°F
Comfortable Days89 days88 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk60.262.2
Air Quality51 AQI51 AQI
School Quality45.637.6
Violent Crime1734/100k0/100k
Property Crime2261/100k0/100k
Community
Population3044,774
Median Age27.141.9
Racial Diversity0.060.07
Male/Female Ratio1.871.03
Political LeaningR+25R+45
White (%)96.7%93.7%
Black (%)0.0%0.1%
Hispanic (%)0.0%4.4%
Asian (%)0.0%1.3%
Other / Multiracial (%)3.3%0.5%
Getting Around
Walkability10.2/207.7/20
Airport Distance114 mi130 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access97.2%82.6%
Amenities Nearby65.7939.80
Park & Nature AccessModerateModerate

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 Barnum or Humboldt more affordable?
Barnum has the lower cost of living: its index is $41k, compared with Barnum's $41k and Humboldt's $43k.
Is Barnum or Humboldt safer?
Humboldt has the lower violent crime rate. Barnum reports 1734/100k and Humboldt reports 0/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Barnum or Humboldt?
The median home value is $133k in Barnum and $144k in Humboldt, so homes are more affordable in Barnum.
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