Lee County, Iowa
Among the top 20% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 59% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 68% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 24% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 72% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 80% of US counties
- top 4% for cost of living
- top 15% for commute time
- bottom 15% for property tax rate
Lee County is a county in Iowa with about 33,000 residents. It grades B+ for lifestyle & connectivity and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include cost of living, commute time, and amenities nearby. It rates lower on estimated total tax burden and property tax rate.
Official websiteleecounty.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
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warm
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v.cold
80%54%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.4 in1.8 in
humid 86%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$58k42nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$41kbetter than 96% of US counties
Home Value$121k26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$782better than 59% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 65% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.49%better than 15% of US counties
Income Tax5.96%better than 23% of US counties
Sales Tax6.94%better than 70% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden11.36%better than 21% of US counties
Unemployment4.6%better than 53% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)25°F23rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)76°F41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation39.5 in42nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall19.3 inbetter than 41% of US counties
Sunny Days237 daysbetter than 51% of US counties
Summer Humidity65°Fbetter than 53% of US counties
Comfortable Days88 daysbetter than 73% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk62.9better than 36% of US counties
Air Quality47 AQIbetter than 26% of US counties
School Quality56.9better than 54% of US counties
Violent Crime1135/100kbetter than 29% of US counties
Property Crime1569/100kbetter than 24% of US counties
Community
Population33,44257th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age43.568th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1424th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9937th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2030th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)90.3%73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)2.9%56th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)3.7%40th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.4%38th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.7%30th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time19 minbetter than 85% of US counties
Walkability6.9/20better than 73% of US counties
Airport Distance139 mibetter than 29% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access83.5%better than 51% of US counties
Amenities Nearby6.88better than 76% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 75% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lee County an affordable place to live?
- Lee County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $41k, better than 96% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Lee County?
- The median home value in Lee County is $121k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Lee County?
- Median household income in Lee County is $58k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Lee County?
- Median gross rent in Lee County is $782 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Lee County safe?
- Lee County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1135/100k (better than 29%). Property crime is 1569/100k.
- What is the weather like in Lee County?
- Lee County averages 76°F in July and 25°F in January, with 39.5 in of annual precipitation and about 237 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Lee County?
- Public-school quality in Lee County is about average, scoring better than 54% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Lee County?
- The average one-way commute in Lee County is 19 min.
Other counties in Iowa
Explore Iowa
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- 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)