Cedar Rapids and Janesville-Beloit receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Cedar Rapids | Janesville-Beloit | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 276,624 | 164,350 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,080 | $75,673 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,062 | $38,536 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 138/sq mi | 229/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $211,500 | $231,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $928 | $1,037 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.0% | 71.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | 0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.9% | 25.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.4% | 9.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 901 | 417 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.3 | 2.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -19.5% | -5.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 12°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.9" | 37.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 35 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.7 min | 25.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.7 | 40.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Cedar Rapids
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Janesville-Beloit
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Your best match
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Full profiles: Cedar Rapids, IA Metro Area · Janesville-Beloit, WI Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology