Monroe County, Iowa
Among the top 24% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 70% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 19% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 70% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade D, better than 22% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 76% of US counties
- top 5% for park & nature access
- top 12% for natural disaster risk
- bottom 9% for property tax rate
Monroe County is a county in Iowa with about 7,574 residents. It grades B+ for lifestyle & connectivity and D for weather. Standout strengths include park & nature access, natural disaster risk, and cost of living. It rates lower on sunny days and property tax rate.
Official websitemonroecoia.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
freez.
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70%49%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.4 in1.4 in
humid 96%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$76k84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$43kbetter than 83% of US counties
Home Value$128k31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$723better than 74% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 76% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.65%better than 9% of US counties
Income Tax6.00%better than 21% of US counties
Sales Tax6.94%better than 70% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden11.06%better than 25% of US counties
Unemployment3.4%better than 75% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)22°F16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)75°F36th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation36.6 in35th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall29.6 inbetter than 29% of US counties
Sunny Days194 daysbetter than 13% of US counties
Summer Humidity65°Fbetter than 51% of US counties
Comfortable Days87 daysbetter than 71% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk10.3better than 88% of US counties
School Quality43.3better than 23% of US counties
Violent Crime523/100kbetter than 69% of US counties
Property Crime536/100kbetter than 71% of US counties
Community
Population7,57417th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age41.551st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1012th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9944th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+4760th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)94.6%93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.1%8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)0.3%2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.8%60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.1%66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time26 minbetter than 40% of US counties
Walkability5.8/20better than 42% of US counties
Airport Distance154 mibetter than 24% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access80.3%better than 33% of US counties
Amenities Nearby5.28better than 68% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 95% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Monroe County an affordable place to live?
- Monroe County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $43k, better than 83% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Monroe County?
- The median home value in Monroe County is $128k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Monroe County?
- Median household income in Monroe County is $76k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Monroe County?
- Median gross rent in Monroe County is $723 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Monroe County safe?
- Monroe County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 523/100k (better than 69%). Property crime is 536/100k.
- What is the weather like in Monroe County?
- Monroe County averages 75°F in July and 22°F in January, with 36.6 in of annual precipitation and about 194 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Monroe County?
- Public-school quality in Monroe County is below average, scoring better than 23% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Monroe County?
- The average one-way commute in Monroe County is 26 min.
Other counties in Iowa
Explore Iowa
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)