Signals
Fort Madison
Ada
Growth
46 · Bottom 43%
vs43 · Bottom 38%
Climate
60 · Bottom 28%
vs61 · Bottom 32%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 36%
vs49 · Bottom 40%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
56 · Bottom 17%
vs81 · Top 40%
Economic stability
50 · Top 50%
vs53 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Fort Madison | Ada | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,893 | 38,235 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,382 | $63,017 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,999 | $32,480 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 64/sq mi | 53/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $141,400 | $175,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $835 | $889 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.3% | 66.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.7% | 30.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.1% | 12.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 71 | 28 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 86.8% | 55.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 27°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.9" | 41.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 75 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.5 min | 19.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.6 | 37.7 | 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
Fort Madison
Elevated or high exposure: hail, drought, strong wind.
Ada
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hail, drought.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Fort Madison
60
Your Score
—
Area Score
Ada
65
Your Score
—
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Fort Madison, IA Micro Area · Ada, OK Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology