Council Bluffs receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Council Bluffs
Oklahoma City
Opportunity
72 · Top 20%
vs56 · Top 50%
Growth
74 · Top 11%
vs69 · Top 18%
Climate
59 · Bottom 13%
vs62 · Bottom 22%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 44%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 9%
vs92 · Top 21%
Access
97 · Top 36%
vs99 · Top 18%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 31%
vs54 · Bottom 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Council Bluffs | Oklahoma City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 62,586 | 697,125 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $64,578 | $68,656 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,937 | $38,370 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,457/sq mi | 1,149/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $171,800 | $231,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,030 | $1,130 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.1% | 58.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.4% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.5% | 34.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.1% | 15.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 613 | 4,666 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.8 | 6.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 38.7% | 1.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 27°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.9" | 36.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.3 min | 23.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.7 | 35.1 | 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
Council Bluffs
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, heat wave.
Oklahoma City
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Your best match
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Council Bluffs
72
Your Score
71
Area Score
Oklahoma City
69
Your Score
66
Area Score
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Full profiles: Council Bluffs, IA · Oklahoma City, OK · How this is calculated: methodology