Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Delaware instead of Iowa, you would:
Health
live 0.8 years less
In Iowa, the average life expectancy is 78 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Delaware, that number is 77 years (75 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020.
be 14.1% more likely to have diabetes
In Iowa, 9.9% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Delaware, that number is 11.3% as of 2022.
Economy
make 26.3% more money
Iowa has a GDP per capita of $63,747 as of 2024, while in Delaware, the GDP per capita is $80,523 as of 2024.
be 54.5% more likely to be unemployed
In Iowa, 3.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Delaware, that number is 5.1% as of 2025.
Safety
be 33.5% 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 Delaware, that number is 370 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 28.3% 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 Delaware, that number is 1,831 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 13.3% more money
The median household income in Iowa is $73,147 as of 2023, while in Delaware, it is $82,855 as of 2023.
pay 66.8% more for a home
The median home value in Iowa is $195,900 as of 2023, compared to $326,800 in Delaware as of 2023.
pay 41.3% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Iowa is $949 as of 2023, while in Delaware, it is $1,341 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
live among residents who are 2.9 years older on average
The median age in Iowa is 38.6 years as of 2023. In Delaware, the median age is 41.5 years as of 2023.
be 15.7% 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 Delaware, that number is 23.6% as of 2023.
be 48.4% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Iowa, 3.1% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Delaware, that number is 4.6% as of 2023.
commute 6.3 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Iowa takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023. In Delaware, it takes 26.1 minutes as of 2023.
be 23.4% more likely to be uninsured
In Iowa, 4.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Delaware, that number is 5.8% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 9.2 times more densely populated
Iowa has a population density of 22.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Delaware, that number is 204.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 27.0% more likely to be food insecure
In Iowa, 7.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Delaware, that number is 9.4% 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.
