Espy vs Iola
Espy, Pennsylvania versus Iola, Pennsylvania: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Espy and Iola score about the same overall (62 vs 65 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Espy | Iola |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $84k | — |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $44k |
| Home Value | $169k | $156k |
| Monthly Rent | $963 | $584 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $461 | $15 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.40% | 1.20% |
| Income Tax | 3.10% | 3.10% |
| Sales Tax | 6.34% | 6.34% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.02% | — |
| Unemployment | 4.0% | 0.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 28°F | 28°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.6 in | 48.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.6 in | 46.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 200 days | 200 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 90 days | 90 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 33.3 | 60.3 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 40 AQI |
| School Quality | 66.1 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 290/100k | 290/100k |
| Property Crime | 475/100k | 475/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 1,568 | 176 |
| Median Age | 47.8 | 27.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.22 | 0.00 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.80 | 0.66 |
| Political Leaning | R+31 | R+31 |
| White (%) | 87.8% | 100.0% |
| Black (%) | 1.3% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Asian (%) | 3.3% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.5% | 0.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 8.5/20 | 4.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 100 mi | 110 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.6% | 100.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 401.79 | 56.82 |
| 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 Espy or Iola more affordable?
- Iola has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Espy's $44k and Iola's $44k. Median rent is $963 in Espy versus $584 in Iola.
- Is Espy or Iola safer?
- Iola has the lower violent crime rate. Espy reports 290/100k and Iola reports 290/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Espy or Iola?
- The median home value is $169k in Espy and $156k in Iola, so homes are more affordable in Iola.