Cedar Rapids vs Marion
Cedar Rapids, Iowa versus Marion, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Cedar Rapids and Marion score about the same overall (47 vs 49 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Cedar Rapids | Marion |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $67k | $82k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $43k |
| Home Value | $168k | $208k |
| Monthly Rent | $886 | $906 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.76% | 1.79% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.70% | 12.85% |
| Unemployment | 3.9% | 3.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 20°F | 20°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.9 in | 38.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 34.3 in | 34.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 245 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 93 days | 93 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 41.5 | 56.2 |
| Air Quality | 57 AQI | 55 AQI |
| School Quality | 66.0 | 49.3 |
| Violent Crime | 1540/100k | 682/100k |
| Property Crime | 3069/100k | 1230/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 136,929 | 41,401 |
| Median Age | 37.0 | 39.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.33 | 0.18 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.92 |
| Political Leaning | D+14 | D+14 |
| White (%) | 78.5% | 89.3% |
| Black (%) | 8.4% | 2.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.3% | 3.3% |
| Asian (%) | 2.7% | 1.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.1% | 3.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 18 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 15.6/20 | 13.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 193 mi | 189 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.1% | 92.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 27.90 | 41.54 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
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 Rapids or Marion more affordable?
- Marion has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Cedar Rapids's $43k and Marion's $43k. Median rent is $886 in Cedar Rapids versus $906 in Marion.
- Is Cedar Rapids or Marion safer?
- Marion has the lower violent crime rate. Cedar Rapids reports 1540/100k and Marion reports 682/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Cedar Rapids or Marion?
- The median home value is $168k in Cedar Rapids and $208k in Marion, so homes are more affordable in Cedar Rapids.