Creston vs Mount Ayr
Creston, Iowa versus Mount Ayr, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Mount Ayr edges out Creston on overall objective livability (49 vs 45 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Creston | Mount Ayr |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $51k | $61k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $43k |
| Home Value | $110k | $116k |
| Monthly Rent | $706 | $686 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $505 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.72% | 1.59% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.98% | 11.28% |
| Unemployment | 4.5% | 1.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.0 in | 37.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 25.5 in | 20.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 194 days | 194 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 88 days | 81 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 89.8 | 91.4 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 52.5 | 50.7 |
| Violent Crime | 1197/100k | 129/100k |
| Property Crime | 1183/100k | 345/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 7,519 | 1,838 |
| Median Age | 38.7 | 40.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.09 | 0.12 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.88 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | R+32 | R+47 |
| White (%) | 94.1% | 93.5% |
| Black (%) | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 1.5% | 5.0% |
| Asian (%) | 1.0% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.0% | 1.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 7.4/20 | 6.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 81 mi | 95 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.0% | 84.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 45.22 | 43.53 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
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 Creston or Mount Ayr more affordable?
- Creston has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Creston's $43k and Mount Ayr's $43k. Median rent is $706 in Creston versus $686 in Mount Ayr.
- Is Creston or Mount Ayr safer?
- Mount Ayr has the lower violent crime rate. Creston reports 1197/100k and Mount Ayr reports 129/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Creston or Mount Ayr?
- The median home value is $110k in Creston and $116k in Mount Ayr, so homes are more affordable in Creston.