Decatur County, Iowa
Among the top 12% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 72% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 17% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade A, better than 88% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 33% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 88% of US counties
- top 3% for violent crime
- top 3% for property crime
- bottom 5% for property tax rate
Decatur County is a county in Iowa with about 7,684 residents. It grades A for lifestyle & connectivity and D for weather. Standout strengths include violent crime, property crime, and amenities nearby. It rates lower on sunny days and property tax rate.
- The median home value in Decatur County is $97k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Decatur County is $56k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Decatur County is $621 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Decatur County has a violent crime rate of 0/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Decatur County is 24 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
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warm
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v.cold
67%47%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.7 in1.3 in
humid 79%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$56k36th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$43kbetter than 75% of US counties
Home Value$97k10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$621better than 92% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 84% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.88%better than 5% of US counties
Income Tax6.00%better than 21% of US counties
Sales Tax6.94%better than 70% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden11.55%better than 20% of US counties
Unemployment4.2%better than 62% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)24°F20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)76°F41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation38.8 in40th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall27.9 inbetter than 30% of US counties
Sunny Days194 daysbetter than 13% of US counties
Summer Humidity65°Fbetter than 51% of US counties
Comfortable Days85 daysbetter than 66% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk23.6better than 75% of US counties
School Quality45.7better than 29% of US counties
Violent Crime0/100kbetter than 97% of US counties
Property Crime0/100kbetter than 97% of US counties
Community
Population7,68417th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age36.615th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1320th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0473rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+4051st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)91.3%77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.2%41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)3.3%36th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.6%51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.5%53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time24 minbetter than 54% of US counties
Walkability5.4/20better than 30% of US counties
Airport Distance111 mibetter than 42% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access81.7%better than 40% of US counties
Amenities Nearby18.22better than 95% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 81% of US counties
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)
Frequently asked questions
- Is Decatur County an affordable place to live?
- Decatur County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $43k, better than 75% of comparable areas. Median rent is $621.
- Is Decatur County safe?
- Decatur County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 0/100k (better than 97%). Property crime is 0/100k.
- What is the weather like in Decatur County?
- Decatur County averages 76°F in July and 24°F in January, with 38.8 in of annual precipitation and about 194 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Decatur County?
- Public-school quality in Decatur County is below average, scoring better than 29% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Decatur County?
- The average one-way commute in Decatur County is 24 min.