Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Alaska instead of Iowa, you would:
Health
be 17.6% less likely to be obese
In Iowa, 38.7% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Alaska, that number is 31.9% of people as of 2022.
be 12.1% less likely to have diabetes
In Iowa, 9.9% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Alaska, that number is 8.7% as of 2022.
live 0.9 years less
In Iowa, the average life expectancy is 78 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Alaska, that number is 77 years (76 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
make 19.0% more money
Iowa has a GDP per capita of $63,747 as of 2024, while in Alaska, the GDP per capita is $75,882 as of 2024.
be 51.5% more likely to be unemployed
In Iowa, 3.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Alaska, that number is 5.0% as of 2025.
Safety
be 2.6 times 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 Alaska, that number is 722 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 30.9% 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 Alaska, that number is 1,868 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 22.1% more money
The median household income in Iowa is $73,147 as of 2023, while in Alaska, it is $89,336 as of 2023.
pay 70.1% more for a home
The median home value in Iowa is $195,900 as of 2023, compared to $333,300 in Alaska as of 2023.
pay 46.3% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Iowa is $949 as of 2023, while in Alaska, it is $1,388 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
live in an area that is 97.7% less densely populated
Iowa has a population density of 22.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 0.5 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 2.3 times more likely to be uninsured
In Iowa, 4.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 10.7% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 3.0 years older on average
The median age in Iowa is 38.6 years as of 2023. In Alaska, the median age is 35.6 years as of 2023.
be 43.2% more likely to be food insecure
In Iowa, 7.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Alaska, that number is 10.6% 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.
