Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Iowa instead of Alabama, you would:
Health
live 4.3 years longer
In Alabama, the average life expectancy is 73 years (72 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020. In Iowa, that number is 78 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
be 22.7% less likely to have diabetes
In Alabama, 12.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 9.9% as of 2022.
Economy
make 29.5% more money
Alabama has a GDP per capita of $49,225 as of 2024, while in Iowa, the GDP per capita is $63,747 as of 2024.
be 29.1% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Alabama, 14.8% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Iowa, however, that number is 10.5% as of 2023.
be 43.5% more likely to be unemployed
In Alabama, 2.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Iowa, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.
Safety
be 30.2% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Alabama has a violent crime rate of 397 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 277 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 14.6% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Alabama has a property crime rate of 1,671 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 1,427 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 17.9% more money
The median household income in Alabama is $62,027 as of 2023, while in Iowa, it is $73,147 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 5.6 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Alabama takes 25.4 minutes as of 2023. In Iowa, it takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023.
be 47.8% less likely to be uninsured
In Alabama, 9.0% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 4.7% as of 2023.
be 10.8% less likely to be physically inactive
In Alabama, 27.9% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 24.9% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 42.9% less densely populated
Alabama has a population density of 38.9 people per sq km as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 22.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 10.9% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Alabama, 18.4% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 20.4% as of 2023.
be 40.9% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Alabama, 2.2% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 3.1% as of 2023.
be 48.6% less likely to be food insecure
In Alabama, 14.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Iowa, that number is 7.4% as of 2021.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Feeding America, OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
