Council Bluffs vs West Des Moines
Council Bluffs, Iowa versus West Des Moines, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Council Bluffs and West Des Moines score about the same overall (43 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Council Bluffs | West Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $61k | $82k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $47k |
| Home Value | $153k | $267k |
| Monthly Rent | $964 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.89% | 1.64% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.02% | 13.59% |
| Unemployment | 4.2% | 2.8% |
| 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 | 36.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 228 days | 194 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 67 days | 88 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 61.9 | 43.1 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 51 AQI |
| School Quality | 59.3 | 65.8 |
| Violent Crime | 1487/100k | 818/100k |
| Property Crime | 3001/100k | 1724/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 62,670 | 68,744 |
| Median Age | 38.4 | 36.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.21 | 0.33 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | R+12 | D+16 |
| White (%) | 83.4% | 79.1% |
| Black (%) | 2.0% | 4.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 10.3% | 5.7% |
| Asian (%) | 1.2% | 6.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.1% | 4.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 8.5/20 | 11.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 6 mi | 110 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 82.5% | 92.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 22.34 | 36.80 |
| 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 West Des Moines more affordable?
- West Des Moines has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Council Bluffs's $53k and West Des Moines's $47k. Median rent is $964 in Council Bluffs versus $1k in West Des Moines.
- Is Council Bluffs or West Des Moines safer?
- West Des Moines has the lower violent crime rate. Council Bluffs reports 1487/100k and West Des Moines reports 818/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Council Bluffs or West Des Moines?
- The median home value is $153k in Council Bluffs and $267k in West Des Moines, so homes are more affordable in Council Bluffs.