Iowa City vs Ottumwa
Iowa City, Iowa versus Ottumwa, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Iowa City and Ottumwa score about the same overall (43 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Iowa City | Ottumwa |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $55k | $53k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $43k |
| Home Value | $257k | $89k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $915 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.76% | 1.88% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.53% | 11.43% |
| Unemployment | 4.8% | 4.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 23°F | 23°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.7 in | 37.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.5 in | 23.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 245 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 79 days | 82 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 76.9 | 64.2 |
| Air Quality | 56 AQI | 51 AQI |
| School Quality | 57.7 | 52.9 |
| Violent Crime | 1172/100k | 2380/100k |
| Property Crime | 1555/100k | 3675/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 74,878 | 25,359 |
| Median Age | 26.0 | 36.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.41 | 0.33 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 1.03 |
| Political Leaning | D+44 | R+24 |
| White (%) | 73.2% | 73.7% |
| Black (%) | 8.4% | 4.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.7% | 14.9% |
| Asian (%) | 7.8% | 1.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.9% | 5.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 18 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 12.2/20 | 8.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 189 mi | 170 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.6% | 80.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 33.79 | 24.84 |
| 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 Iowa City or Ottumwa more affordable?
- Ottumwa has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Iowa City's $45k and Ottumwa's $43k. Median rent is $1k in Iowa City versus $915 in Ottumwa.
- Is Iowa City or Ottumwa safer?
- Iowa City has the lower violent crime rate. Iowa City reports 1172/100k and Ottumwa reports 2380/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Iowa City or Ottumwa?
- The median home value is $257k in Iowa City and $89k in Ottumwa, so homes are more affordable in Ottumwa.