Signals
Defiance
Muscatine
Growth
51 · Top 47%
vs50 · Top 49%
Climate
62 · Bottom 34%
vs59 · Bottom 22%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 42%
vs74 · Top 23%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
80 · Top 43%
vs84 · Top 34%
Economic stability
77 · Top 17%
vs71 · Top 24%
Measured values
| Metric | Defiance | Muscatine | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,343 | 42,559 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,064 | $69,396 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,589 | $35,349 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 93/sq mi | 97/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $163,200 | $182,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $846 | $971 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 79.3% | 73.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.0% | 23.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.5% | 13.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 62 | 128 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 3.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 44.2% | 42.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 15°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.0" | 35.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 32 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.4 min | 20.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.1 | 39.6 | 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
Defiance
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding.
Muscatine
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Defiance, OH Micro Area · Muscatine, IA Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology