Palo Alto County, Iowa
Among the top 11% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 82% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 43% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 66% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 79% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 89% of US counties
- top 8% for commute time
- top 9% for amenities nearby
Palo Alto County is a county in Iowa with about 8,938 residents. It grades A for lifestyle & connectivity and C for weather. Standout strengths include commute time, amenities nearby, and monthly rent. It rates lower on annual snowfall and income tax.
Official websitepaloaltocountyiowa.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
freezing
v.cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
v.cold
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75%54%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.6 in0.9 in
humid 89%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$67k68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$43kbetter than 81% of US counties
Home Value$117k23rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$631better than 90% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 82% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.25%better than 24% of US counties
Income Tax6.00%better than 21% of US counties
Sales Tax6.94%better than 70% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.47%better than 33% of US counties
Unemployment3.6%better than 71% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)16°F6th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation33.7 in30th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall37.1 inbetter than 22% of US counties
Sunny Days224 daysbetter than 35% of US counties
Summer Humidity63°Fbetter than 62% of US counties
Comfortable Days87 daysbetter than 71% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk15.5better than 83% of US counties
Air Quality46 AQIbetter than 30% of US counties
School Quality51.8better than 45% of US counties
Violent Crime564/100kbetter than 66% of US counties
Property Crime429/100kbetter than 77% of US counties
Community
Population8,93820th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age41.348th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1425th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0368th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+3848th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)90.9%75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)2.0%51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)3.6%39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.6%48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.9%36th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time17 minbetter than 92% of US counties
Walkability7.0/20better than 75% of US counties
Airport Distance138 mibetter than 29% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access83.5%better than 52% of US counties
Amenities Nearby13.43better than 91% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 75% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Palo Alto County an affordable place to live?
- Palo Alto County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $43k, better than 81% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Palo Alto County?
- The median home value in Palo Alto County is $117k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Palo Alto County?
- Median household income in Palo Alto County is $67k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Palo Alto County?
- Median gross rent in Palo Alto County is $631 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Palo Alto County safe?
- Palo Alto County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 564/100k (better than 66%). Property crime is 429/100k.
- What is the weather like in Palo Alto County?
- Palo Alto County averages 72°F in July and 16°F in January, with 33.7 in of annual precipitation and about 224 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Palo Alto County?
- Public-school quality in Palo Alto County is about average, scoring better than 45% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Palo Alto County?
- The average one-way commute in Palo Alto County is 17 min.
Other counties in Iowa
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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)