Clarence vs West Branch
Clarence, Iowa versus West Branch, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Clarence and West Branch score about the same overall (49 vs 51 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Clarence | West Branch |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $64k | $73k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $44k |
| Home Value | $137k | $205k |
| Monthly Rent | $854 | $906 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $326 | $760 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.30% | 1.41% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.08% | 12.25% |
| Unemployment | 1.1% | 0.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 22°F | 22°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.6 in | 38.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 39.8 in | 27.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 245 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 91 days | 86 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 74.0 | 74.7 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 54 AQI |
| School Quality | 72.5 | 85.4 |
| Violent Crime | 439/100k | 115/100k |
| Property Crime | 451/100k | 498/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 1,136 | 2,503 |
| Median Age | 45.1 | 35.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.01 | 0.09 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.73 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | R+17 | R+17 |
| White (%) | 99.4% | 91.9% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 0.6% | 3.9% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 0.0% | 2.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | — | 22 min |
| Walkability | 6.0/20 | 7.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 162 mi | 178 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.9% | 87.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 35.21 | 43.95 |
| 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 Clarence or West Branch more affordable?
- West Branch has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Clarence's $44k and West Branch's $44k. Median rent is $854 in Clarence versus $906 in West Branch.
- Is Clarence or West Branch safer?
- West Branch has the lower violent crime rate. Clarence reports 439/100k and West Branch reports 115/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Clarence or West Branch?
- The median home value is $137k in Clarence and $205k in West Branch, so homes are more affordable in Clarence.