Evanston receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Evanston
Marshalltown
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 44%
vs56 · Bottom 49%
Growth
39 · Bottom 30%
vs31 · Bottom 19%
Climate
55 · Bottom 4%
vs56 · Bottom 7%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 26%
vs100 · Top 8%
Access
78 · Bottom 19%
vs75 · Bottom 17%
Economic stability
62 · Top 46%
vs55 · Bottom 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Evanston | Marshalltown | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,800 | 27,626 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,516 | $69,068 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,167 | $30,130 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,150/sq mi | 1,439/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $280,900 | $127,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $805 | $891 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.3% | 68.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.4% | 20.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.6% | 14.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 17 | 9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.4 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -29.2% | -62.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 10°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 9.5" | 32.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 44 mi | 44 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.2 min | 18.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.0 | 35.7 | 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
Evanston
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Marshalltown
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, cold wave.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Evanston
61
Your Score
58
Area Score
Marshalltown
56
Your Score
54
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Evanston, WY · Marshalltown, IA · How this is calculated: methodology