George vs Lester
George, Iowa versus Lester, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
George and Lester score about the same overall (47 vs 50 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | George | Lester |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $61k | $86k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $45k |
| Home Value | $104k | $170k |
| Monthly Rent | $775 | — |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $388 | $110 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.31% | 0.88% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.51% | 10.03% |
| Unemployment | 4.6% | 0.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 17°F | 17°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 29.3 in | 29.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 34.9 in | 34.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 235 days | 235 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 88 days | 87 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 78.2 | 79.3 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 47.9 | 40.7 |
| Violent Crime | 224/100k | 224/100k |
| Property Crime | 454/100k | 454/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 1,149 | 303 |
| Median Age | 46.5 | 38.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.15 | 0.26 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 1.06 |
| Political Leaning | R+68 | R+68 |
| White (%) | 90.7% | 85.1% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.4% | 13.2% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.9% | 1.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | — |
| Walkability | 6.4/20 | 5.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 141 mi | 149 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 79.2% | 92.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 26.11 | 0.00 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | 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 George or Lester more affordable?
- Lester has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with George's $45k and Lester's $45k.
- Is George or Lester safer?
- Lester has the lower violent crime rate. George reports 224/100k and Lester reports 224/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in George or Lester?
- The median home value is $104k in George and $170k in Lester, so homes are more affordable in George.