Signals
Le Mars
Ottawa
Growth
41 · Bottom 35%
vs50 · Top 48%
Climate
56 · Bottom 15%
vs65 · Bottom 47%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 29%
vs54 · Bottom 48%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
85 · Top 33%
vs81 · Top 40%
Economic stability
97 · Top 1%
vs86 · Top 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Le Mars | Ottawa | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,747 | 26,106 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,251 | $77,207 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,532 | $34,973 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 30/sq mi | 46/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $228,900 | $198,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $910 | $1,042 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.6% | 72.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.7% | 24.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.9% | 8.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 91 | 108 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.5 | 4.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -43.5% | -17.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 10°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.3" | 37.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 25 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.6 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.3 | 39.7 | 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
Le Mars
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, cold wave.
Ottawa
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Le Mars, IA Micro Area · Ottawa, KS Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology