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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.

Overall livability

Council Bluffs

Mixed · objective livability43/100

West Des Moines

Mixed · objective livability45/100

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

FactorCouncil BluffsWest 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 Rate1.89%1.64%
Income Tax6.00%6.00%
Sales Tax6.94%6.94%
Estimated total tax burden13.02%13.59%
Unemployment4.2%2.8%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)24°F22°F
Summer Temp (Jul)77°F75°F
Annual Precipitation34.5 in37.3 in
Annual Snowfall27.1 in36.5 in
Sunny Days228 days194 days
Summer Humidity66°F65°F
Comfortable Days67 days88 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk61.943.1
Air Quality43 AQI51 AQI
School Quality59.365.8
Violent Crime1487/100k818/100k
Property Crime3001/100k1724/100k
Community
Population62,67068,744
Median Age38.436.2
Racial Diversity0.210.33
Male/Female Ratio0.971.00
Political LeaningR+12D+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 Time19 min18 min
Walkability8.5/2011.4/20
Airport Distance6 mi110 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access82.5%92.2%
Amenities Nearby22.3436.80
Park & Nature AccessModerateModerate

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.
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