Belle Plaine vs Garrison
Belle Plaine, Iowa versus Garrison, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Belle Plaine and Garrison score about the same overall (51 vs 49 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Belle Plaine | Garrison |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $66k | $50k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $43k |
| Home Value | $109k | $60k |
| Monthly Rent | $678 | $820 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $817 | $96 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.44% | 1.46% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.69% | 10.03% |
| Unemployment | 2.2% | 2.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 20°F | 19°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.0 in | 37.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.9 in | 33.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 245 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 90 days | 93 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 43.3 | 79.4 |
| Air Quality | 55 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 57.9 | 50.1 |
| Violent Crime | 726/100k | 375/100k |
| Property Crime | 769/100k | 421/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 2,421 | 328 |
| Median Age | 44.8 | 37.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.09 | 0.02 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.23 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | R+28 | R+28 |
| White (%) | 94.5% | 99.1% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.3% | 0.0% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.2% | 0.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 25 min | — |
| Walkability | 6.3/20 | 5.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 191 mi | 197 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.4% | 87.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 49.57 | 30.49 |
| 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 Belle Plaine or Garrison more affordable?
- Garrison has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Belle Plaine's $43k and Garrison's $43k. Median rent is $678 in Belle Plaine versus $820 in Garrison.
- Is Belle Plaine or Garrison safer?
- Garrison has the lower violent crime rate. Belle Plaine reports 726/100k and Garrison reports 375/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Belle Plaine or Garrison?
- The median home value is $109k in Belle Plaine and $60k in Garrison, so homes are more affordable in Garrison.