O'Brien County, Iowa
Among the top 16% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 78% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 58% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 70% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 84% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 73% of US counties
- top 7% for commute time
- top 11% for unemployment
O'Brien County is a county in Iowa with about 14,000 residents. It grades B+ for getting around and B for weather. Standout strengths include commute time, unemployment, and broadband access. It rates lower on income tax and annual snowfall.
Official websiteobriencounty.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
freezing
v.cold
cool
comf.
warm
cool
v.cold
freez.
78%56%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.9 in1.0 in
humid 95%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$65k63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$43kbetter than 78% of US counties
Home Value$142k39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$691better than 81% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 55% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.05%better than 36% of US counties
Income Tax6.00%better than 21% of US counties
Sales Tax6.94%better than 70% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.58%better than 31% of US counties
Unemployment2.4%better than 89% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)17°F8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation31.1 in26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall38.6 inbetter than 21% of US counties
Sunny Days235 daysbetter than 48% of US counties
Summer Humidity63°Fbetter than 64% of US counties
Comfortable Days88 daysbetter than 73% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk16.4better than 82% of US counties
School Quality55.7better than 52% of US counties
Violent Crime700/100kbetter than 55% of US counties
Property Crime693/100kbetter than 62% of US counties
Community
Population14,13831st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.440th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1629th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9835th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+5876th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)90.4%73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.4%43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)5.8%56th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.7%56th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)1.7%12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time17 minbetter than 93% of US counties
Walkability7.1/20better than 76% of US counties
Airport Distance124 mibetter than 36% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access89.1%better than 83% of US counties
Amenities Nearby3.54better than 58% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 50% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is O'Brien County an affordable place to live?
- O'Brien County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $43k, better than 78% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in O'Brien County?
- The median home value in O'Brien County is $142k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in O'Brien County?
- Median household income in O'Brien County is $65k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in O'Brien County?
- Median gross rent in O'Brien County is $691 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is O'Brien County safe?
- O'Brien County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 700/100k (better than 55%). Property crime is 693/100k.
- What is the weather like in O'Brien County?
- O'Brien County averages 73°F in July and 17°F in January, with 31.1 in of annual precipitation and about 235 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in O'Brien County?
- Public-school quality in O'Brien County is about average, scoring better than 52% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in O'Brien County?
- The average one-way commute in O'Brien County is 17 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)