Marion receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Marion
Cedar Rapids
Opportunity
61 · Top 39%
vs55 · Bottom 46%
Growth
54 · Top 43%
vs42 · Bottom 35%
Climate
57 · Bottom 8%
vs57 · Bottom 8%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 16%
vs85 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
70 · Top 27%
vs33 · Bottom 26%
Access
95 · Top 36%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
68 · Top 34%
vs62 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Marion | Cedar Rapids | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 41,896 | 137,264 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,743 | $70,424 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,598 | $41,256 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,327/sq mi | 1,839/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $241,700 | $187,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $961 | $967 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.4% | 68.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.1% | 33.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 10.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 210 | 394 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.0 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.3% | -38.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.9" | 35.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.8 min | 19.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.6 | 37.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 15 | 39 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.79 | 15.02 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 75.5% | 55.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 73.4% | 58.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 27.8% | 49.1% | 2024-25 school 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
Marion
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Cedar Rapids
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Marion
74
Your Score
72
Area Score
Cedar Rapids
66
Your Score
64
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Marion, IA · Cedar Rapids, IA · How this is calculated: methodology