Belle Plaine vs Urbana
Belle Plaine, Iowa versus Urbana, 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 edges out Urbana on overall objective livability (51 vs 47 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Belle Plaine | Urbana |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $66k | $108k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $43k |
| Home Value | $109k | $203k |
| Monthly Rent | $678 | $763 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $817 | $460 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.44% | 1.67% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.69% | 11.44% |
| Unemployment | 2.2% | 2.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 20°F | 20°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 74°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 | 90 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 43.3 | 57.0 |
| Air Quality | 55 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 57.9 | 37.8 |
| Violent Crime | 726/100k | 375/100k |
| Property Crime | 769/100k | 421/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 2,421 | 1,565 |
| Median Age | 44.8 | 32.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.09 | 0.11 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.23 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | R+28 | R+28 |
| White (%) | 94.5% | 93.6% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 0.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.3% | 3.3% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.2% | 2.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 25 min | 28 min |
| Walkability | 6.3/20 | 5.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 191 mi | 195 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.4% | 92.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 49.57 | 19.17 |
| 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 Urbana more affordable?
- Urbana has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Belle Plaine's $43k and Urbana's $43k. Median rent is $678 in Belle Plaine versus $763 in Urbana.
- Is Belle Plaine or Urbana safer?
- Urbana has the lower violent crime rate. Belle Plaine reports 726/100k and Urbana reports 375/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Belle Plaine or Urbana?
- The median home value is $109k in Belle Plaine and $203k in Urbana, so homes are more affordable in Belle Plaine.