Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Iowa instead of California, you would:
Health
live 1.5 years less
In California, the average life expectancy is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 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 36.3% more likely to be obese
In California, 28.4% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 38.7% of people as of 2022.
Economy
be 35.3% less likely to be unemployed
In California, 5.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Iowa, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.
be 10.3% less likely to live below the poverty line
In California, 11.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Iowa, however, that number is 10.5% as of 2023.
make 24.1% less money
California has a GDP per capita of $84,028 as of 2024, while in Iowa, the GDP per capita is $63,747 as of 2024.
Safety
be 44.9% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
California has a violent crime rate of 503 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 277 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 38.0% less likely to be a victim of property crime
California has a property crime rate of 2,303 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 1,427 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 71.8% less for a home
The median home value in California is $695,400 as of 2023, compared to $195,900 in Iowa as of 2023.
pay 51.5% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in California is $1,956 as of 2023, while in Iowa, it is $949 as of 2023.
be 28.1% more likely to own your home
In California, 55.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 71.5% as of 2023.
earn 24.1% less money
The median household income in California is $96,334 as of 2023, while in Iowa, it is $73,147 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 9.2 minutes less
The average one-way commute in California takes 29.0 minutes as of 2023. In Iowa, it takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023.
be 30.9% less likely to be uninsured
In California, 6.8% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 4.7% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 77.1% less densely populated
California has a population density of 97.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 22.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 28.8% less likely to be food insecure
In California, 10.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Iowa, that number is 7.4% as of 2021.
be 41.4% more likely to smoke
In California, 11.6% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 16.4% as of 2022.
be 11.2% more likely to be physically inactive
In California, 22.4% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 24.9% as of 2022.
be 18.4% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In California, 25.0% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 20.4% as of 2023.
be 74.6% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In California, 12.2% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 3.1% as of 2023.
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.
