Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Connecticut instead of Iowa, you would:
Health
live 0.9 years longer
In Iowa, the average life expectancy is 78 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Connecticut, that number is 78 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020.
be 19.1% less likely to be obese
In Iowa, 38.7% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Connecticut, that number is 31.3% of people as of 2022.
Economy
make 21.7% more money
Iowa has a GDP per capita of $63,747 as of 2024, while in Connecticut, the GDP per capita is $77,582 as of 2024.
be 24.2% more likely to be unemployed
In Iowa, 3.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Connecticut, that number is 4.1% as of 2025.
Safety
be 46.9% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Iowa has a violent crime rate of 277 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Connecticut, that number is 147 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 28.2% more money
The median household income in Iowa is $73,147 as of 2023, while in Connecticut, it is $93,760 as of 2023.
pay 75.2% more for a home
The median home value in Iowa is $195,900 as of 2023, compared to $343,200 in Connecticut as of 2023.
pay 50.8% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Iowa is $949 as of 2023, while in Connecticut, it is $1,431 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 22.0% less likely to smoke
In Iowa, 16.4% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Connecticut, that number is 12.8% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 2.6 years older on average
The median age in Iowa is 38.6 years as of 2023. In Connecticut, the median age is 41.2 years as of 2023.
be 41.2% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Iowa, 20.4% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Connecticut, that number is 28.8% as of 2023.
be 2.2 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Iowa, 3.1% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Connecticut, that number is 6.7% as of 2023.
commute 6.8 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Iowa takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023. In Connecticut, it takes 26.6 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 13.1 times more densely populated
Iowa has a population density of 22.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Connecticut, that number is 290.3 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 39.2% more likely to be food insecure
In Iowa, 7.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Connecticut, that number is 10.3% 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.
