Battle Creek vs Denison
Battle Creek, Iowa versus Denison, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Battle Creek edges out Denison on overall objective livability (49 vs 37 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Battle Creek | Denison |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $54k | $58k |
| Cost of Living | $42k | $42k |
| Home Value | $66k | $113k |
| Monthly Rent | $443 | $775 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $288 | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.23% | 1.82% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.80% | 11.87% |
| Unemployment | 1.0% | 6.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 20°F | 23°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 32.1 in | 33.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 35.3 in | 34.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 228 days | 228 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 79 days | 71 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 84.2 | 88.6 |
| Air Quality | 50 AQI | 48 AQI |
| School Quality | 81.6 | 46.9 |
| Violent Crime | 333/100k | 1093/100k |
| Property Crime | 289/100k | 833/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 830 | 8,316 |
| Median Age | 47.8 | 33.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.06 | 0.54 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.86 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | R+52 | R+37 |
| White (%) | 93.4% | 41.0% |
| Black (%) | 1.0% | 4.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.4% | 49.9% |
| Asian (%) | 0.8% | 3.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 1.4% | 1.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 5.8/20 | 4.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 72 mi | 56 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 67.8% | 86.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 12.05 | 22.85 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
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 Battle Creek or Denison more affordable?
- Denison has the lower cost of living: its index is $42k, compared with Battle Creek's $42k and Denison's $42k. Median rent is $443 in Battle Creek versus $775 in Denison.
- Is Battle Creek or Denison safer?
- Battle Creek has the lower violent crime rate. Battle Creek reports 333/100k and Denison reports 1093/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Battle Creek or Denison?
- The median home value is $66k in Battle Creek and $113k in Denison, so homes are more affordable in Battle Creek.