Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Alabama instead of Iowa, you would:
Health
live 4.3 years less
In Iowa, the average life expectancy is 78 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Alabama, that number is 73 years (72 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020.
be 29.3% more likely to have diabetes
In Iowa, 9.9% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Alabama, that number is 12.8% as of 2022.
Economy
be 30.3% less likely to be unemployed
In Iowa, 3.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Alabama, that number is 2.3% as of 2025.
make 22.8% less money
Iowa has a GDP per capita of $63,747 as of 2024, while in Alabama, the GDP per capita is $49,225 as of 2024.
be 41.0% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Iowa, 10.5% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Alabama, however, that number is 14.8% as of 2023.
Safety
be 43.4% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Iowa has a violent crime rate of 277 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 397 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 17.1% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Iowa has a property crime rate of 1,427 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 1,671 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 15.2% less money
The median household income in Iowa is $73,147 as of 2023, while in Alabama, it is $62,027 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 5.6 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Iowa takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023. In Alabama, it takes 25.4 minutes as of 2023.
be 91.5% more likely to be uninsured
In Iowa, 4.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 9.0% as of 2023.
be 12.0% more likely to be physically inactive
In Iowa, 24.9% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Alabama, that number is 27.9% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 75.2% more densely populated
Iowa has a population density of 22.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 38.9 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 29.0% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Iowa, 3.1% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 2.2% as of 2023.
be 94.6% more likely to be food insecure
In Iowa, 7.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Alabama, that number is 14.4% 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.
