Oelwein vs St. Lucas
Oelwein, Iowa versus St. Lucas, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Oelwein and St. Lucas score about the same overall (47 vs 50 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Oelwein | St. Lucas |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $42k | $61k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $43k |
| Home Value | $97k | $90k |
| Monthly Rent | $790 | — |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $58 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.55% | 1.49% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.91% | 10.50% |
| Unemployment | 6.7% | 0.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 19°F | 18°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.4 in | 38.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 39.3 in | 41.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 233 days | 233 days |
| Summer Humidity | 64°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 91 days | 85 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 57.9 | 80.9 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 93.0 | 59.9 |
| Violent Crime | 812/100k | 472/100k |
| Property Crime | 726/100k | 305/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 5,934 | 146 |
| Median Age | 44.2 | 38.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.15 | 0.00 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.03 | 0.92 |
| Political Leaning | R+23 | R+23 |
| White (%) | 89.7% | 100.0% |
| Black (%) | 0.7% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.4% | 0.0% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.1% | 0.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | — |
| Walkability | 7.1/20 | 5.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 167 mi | 141 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 83.7% | 70.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 18.54 | 273.97 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | 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 Oelwein or St. Lucas more affordable?
- St. Lucas has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Oelwein's $43k and St. Lucas's $43k.
- Is Oelwein or St. Lucas safer?
- St. Lucas has the lower violent crime rate. Oelwein reports 812/100k and St. Lucas reports 472/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Oelwein or St. Lucas?
- The median home value is $97k in Oelwein and $90k in St. Lucas, so homes are more affordable in St. Lucas.