Iowa Area Profiles
1 published city profiles across Iowa, each built from the same authoritative sources and compared on the same terms.
Statewide signals
OpportunityTop 48% of 51 states53
Growth34th of 51 states45
Housing affordabilityTop 4% of 51 states100
Climate37th of 51 states57
Physical resilienceTop 30% of 51 states69
AccessTop 38% of 51 states79
Economic stabilityTop 20% of 51 states72
Cities
| City | Population | Opportunity | Growth | Area Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | 212,421 | 75 | 46 | 75 |
Strongest opportunity
- Des Moines 75
Fastest development
- Des Moines 46
Statewide physical risk
DroughtElevated
HailModerate
TornadoElevated
Strong windModerate
Cold waveModerate
Heat waveModerate
Low or minimal exposure: winter weather, ice storm, inland flooding, landslide, lightning, wildfire, earthquake, hurricane.
Population-weighted across every county in Iowa, derived from the FEMA National Risk Index. Exposure varies substantially within a state — check the individual city and ZIP profiles.
Statewide data
| Metric | Value | Compared with peers | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average household size ±0.01 | 2.36 | Bottom 12% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Households ±3,984 | 1,315,707 | Bottom 43% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age ±0.2 | 38.6 | Bottom 33% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population | 3,210,507 | Bottom 39% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 57/sq mi | Bottom 27% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Home price to income | 2.77 | Bottom 2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.7% | Top 20% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units ±523 | 1,437,699 | Bottom 41% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent ±$6 | $972 | Bottom 14% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value ±$1,141 | $208,000 | Bottom 12% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Rent as a share of income | 15.5% | Bottom 4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Vacancy rate | 8.5% | Bottom 24% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income ±$418 | $75,059 | Bottom 39% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income ±$247 | $40,877 | Bottom 37% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.1% | Bottom 39% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average commute | 21.2 min | Bottom 14% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.4% | Bottom 25% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Employment | 1,670,647 | Bottom 40% | July 2026 |
| Employment change (3 years) | 0.1% | Bottom 40% | July 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | Top 42% | July 2026 |
| Labor force | 1,730,336 | Bottom 40% | July 2026 |
| Labor force participation | 66.4% | Top 18% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment change (year over year) | -0.3% | Bottom 34% | July 2026 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | Bottom 20% | July 2026 |