Evanston receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Marshalltown
Evanston
Opportunity
56 · Bottom 49%
vs54 · Bottom 44%
Growth
31 · Bottom 19%
vs39 · Bottom 30%
Climate
56 · Bottom 7%
vs55 · Bottom 4%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 41%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs92 · Top 26%
Access
75 · Bottom 17%
vs78 · Bottom 19%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 39%
vs62 · Top 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Marshalltown | Evanston | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,626 | 11,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,068 | $76,516 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,130 | $42,167 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,439/sq mi | 1,150/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $127,700 | $280,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $891 | $805 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.8% | 71.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.9% | 21.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.3% | 8.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 9 | 17 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -62.5% | -29.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 10°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.8" | 9.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 44 mi | 44 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.9 min | 18.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.7 | 36.0 | 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
Marshalltown
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, cold wave.
Evanston
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Marshalltown
56
Your Score
54
Area Score
Evanston
61
Your Score
58
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Marshalltown, IA · Evanston, WY · How this is calculated: methodology