Cedar Falls vs Marshalltown
Cedar Falls, Iowa versus Marshalltown, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Cedar Falls edges out Marshalltown on overall objective livability (55 vs 49 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Cedar Falls | Marshalltown |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $71k | $65k |
| Cost of Living | $41k | $43k |
| Home Value | $245k | $110k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $832 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.50% | 1.83% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.46% | 11.38% |
| Unemployment | 3.0% | 6.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 19°F | 19°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.3 in | 36.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 39.1 in | 25.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 233 days | 233 days |
| Summer Humidity | 64°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 89 days | 92 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 28.1 | 55.8 |
| Air Quality | 52 AQI | 51 AQI |
| School Quality | 67.7 | 49.8 |
| Violent Crime | 0/100k | 955/100k |
| Property Crime | 0/100k | 1212/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 40,686 | 27,511 |
| Median Age | 28.0 | 35.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.15 | 0.47 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.90 | 1.03 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 90.2% | 55.7% |
| Black (%) | 1.2% | 2.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.8% | 33.6% |
| Asian (%) | 3.8% | 5.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.0% | 3.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 15 min | 17 min |
| Walkability | 9.5/20 | 13.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 168 mi | 162 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.2% | 83.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 45.22 | 12.00 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | 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 Cedar Falls or Marshalltown more affordable?
- Cedar Falls has the lower cost of living: its index is $41k, compared with Cedar Falls's $41k and Marshalltown's $43k. Median rent is $1k in Cedar Falls versus $832 in Marshalltown.
- Is Cedar Falls or Marshalltown safer?
- Cedar Falls has the lower violent crime rate. Cedar Falls reports 0/100k and Marshalltown reports 955/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Cedar Falls or Marshalltown?
- The median home value is $245k in Cedar Falls and $110k in Marshalltown, so homes are more affordable in Marshalltown.