Council Bluffs vs Urbandale
Council Bluffs, Iowa versus Urbandale, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Urbandale edges out Council Bluffs on overall objective livability (48 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Council Bluffs | Urbandale |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $61k | $112k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $47k |
| Home Value | $153k | $299k |
| Monthly Rent | $964 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.89% | 1.75% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.02% | 12.95% |
| Unemployment | 4.2% | 2.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 22°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 77°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.5 in | 37.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.1 in | 38.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 228 days | 194 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 67 days | 89 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 61.9 | 40.0 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 51 AQI |
| School Quality | 59.3 | 67.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1487/100k | 469/100k |
| Property Crime | 3001/100k | 691/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 62,670 | 45,591 |
| Median Age | 38.4 | 38.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.21 | 0.26 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 1.02 |
| Political Leaning | R+12 | D+16 |
| White (%) | 83.4% | 82.0% |
| Black (%) | 2.0% | 4.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 10.3% | 5.7% |
| Asian (%) | 1.2% | 5.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.1% | 2.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 8.5/20 | 11.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 6 mi | 112 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 82.5% | 93.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 22.34 | 80.50 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
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 Council Bluffs or Urbandale more affordable?
- Urbandale has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Council Bluffs's $53k and Urbandale's $47k. Median rent is $964 in Council Bluffs versus $1k in Urbandale.
- Is Council Bluffs or Urbandale safer?
- Urbandale has the lower violent crime rate. Council Bluffs reports 1487/100k and Urbandale reports 469/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Council Bluffs or Urbandale?
- The median home value is $153k in Council Bluffs and $299k in Urbandale, so homes are more affordable in Council Bluffs.