Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Iowa instead of Florida, you would:
Health
be 11.6% less likely to have diabetes
In Florida, 11.2% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 9.9% as of 2022.
be 18.7% more likely to be obese
In Florida, 32.6% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 38.7% of people as of 2022.
Economy
make 10.6% more money
Florida has a GDP per capita of $57,636 as of 2024, while in Iowa, the GDP per capita is $63,747 as of 2024.
be 25.0% less likely to be unemployed
In Florida, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Iowa, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.
Housing & Income
pay 39.7% less for a home
The median home value in Florida is $325,000 as of 2023, compared to $195,900 in Iowa as of 2023.
pay 39.3% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Florida is $1,564 as of 2023, while in Iowa, it is $949 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 8.2 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Florida takes 28.0 minutes as of 2023. In Iowa, it takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023.
be 57.3% less likely to be uninsured
In Florida, 11.0% 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 86.5% less densely populated
Florida has a population density of 164.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 22.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 25.3% less likely to be food insecure
In Florida, 9.9% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Iowa, that number is 7.4% as of 2021.
be 14.7% more likely to smoke
In Florida, 14.3% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 16.4% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 4.0 years older on average
The median age in Florida is 42.6 years as of 2023. In Iowa, the median age is 38.6 years as of 2023.
be 63.1% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Florida, 8.4% 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.
