Harlan vs Portsmouth
Harlan, Iowa versus Portsmouth, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Portsmouth edges out Harlan on overall objective livability (50 vs 42 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Harlan | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $56k | $78k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $44k |
| Home Value | $138k | $121k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $663 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $74 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.59% | 1.28% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.21% | 10.27% |
| Unemployment | 3.4% | 0.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 23°F | 23°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 77°F | 77°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.3 in | 34.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 30.5 in | 30.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 228 days | 228 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 70 days | 69 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 77.0 | 75.9 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 40.8 | 40.8 |
| Violent Crime | 790/100k | 338/100k |
| Property Crime | 304/100k | 127/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 4,897 | 175 |
| Median Age | 50.2 | 50.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.16 | 0.10 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.86 | 0.88 |
| Political Leaning | R+41 | R+41 |
| White (%) | 91.1% | 94.9% |
| Black (%) | 2.1% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.1% | 0.0% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.6% | 5.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 6.5/20 | 5.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 38 mi | 31 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 78.1% | 79.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 34.72 | 0.00 |
| 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 Harlan or Portsmouth more affordable?
- Portsmouth has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Harlan's $44k and Portsmouth's $44k. Median rent is $1k in Harlan versus $663 in Portsmouth.
- Is Harlan or Portsmouth safer?
- Portsmouth has the lower violent crime rate. Harlan reports 790/100k and Portsmouth reports 338/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Harlan or Portsmouth?
- The median home value is $138k in Harlan and $121k in Portsmouth, so homes are more affordable in Portsmouth.