Golden vs Iuka
Golden, Mississippi versus Iuka, Mississippi: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Golden edges out Iuka on overall objective livability (51 vs 47 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Golden | Iuka |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $45k | $44k |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $47k |
| Home Value | $114k | $123k |
| Monthly Rent | $709 | $541 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $52 | $744 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.58% | 0.42% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 7.06% | 7.06% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.82% | 8.51% |
| Unemployment | 3.5% | 5.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 42°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 58.0 in | 62.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.6 in | 1.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 273 days | 261 days |
| Summer Humidity | 70°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 75 days | 75 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 63.9 | 53.9 |
| Air Quality | 41 AQI | 45 AQI |
| School Quality | 34.9 | 34.9 |
| Violent Crime | 515/100k | 787/100k |
| Property Crime | 874/100k | 2262/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 212 | 3,117 |
| Median Age | 37.0 | 37.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.25 | 0.12 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.78 | 0.90 |
| Political Leaning | R+76 | R+76 |
| White (%) | 84.0% | 93.5% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 4.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 11.3% | 0.1% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.7% | 2.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 3.7/20 | 5.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 104 mi | 102 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 76.7% | 75.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 471.70 | 51.33 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | 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 Golden or Iuka more affordable?
- Iuka has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Golden's $47k and Iuka's $47k. Median rent is $709 in Golden versus $541 in Iuka.
- Is Golden or Iuka safer?
- Golden has the lower violent crime rate. Golden reports 515/100k and Iuka reports 787/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Golden or Iuka?
- The median home value is $114k in Golden and $123k in Iuka, so homes are more affordable in Golden.