Quality of life comparison
If you lived in District of Columbia instead of Iowa, you would:
Health
be 34.6% less likely to be obese
In Iowa, 38.7% of adults are obese as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 25.3% of people as of 2022.
be 11.1% less likely to have diabetes
In Iowa, 9.9% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 8.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 3.3 times more money
Iowa has a GDP per capita of $63,747 as of 2024, while in District of Columbia, the GDP per capita is $209,167 as of 2024.
be 93.9% more likely to be unemployed
In Iowa, 3.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In District of Columbia, that number is 6.4% as of 2025.
be 29.5% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Iowa, 10.5% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In District of Columbia, however, that number is 13.6% as of 2023.
Safety
be 4.1 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 District of Columbia, that number is 1,126 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 3.0 times 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 District of Columbia, that number is 4,216 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 45.3% more money
The median household income in Iowa is $73,147 as of 2023, while in District of Columbia, it is $106,287 as of 2023.
pay 3.7 times more for a home
The median home value in Iowa is $195,900 as of 2023, compared to $724,600 in District of Columbia as of 2023.
pay 2.0 times more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Iowa is $949 as of 2023, while in District of Columbia, it is $1,900 as of 2023.
be 42.5% less likely to own your home
In Iowa, 71.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 41.1% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 29.8% less likely to be uninsured
In Iowa, 4.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 3.3% as of 2023.
be 29.3% less likely to smoke
In Iowa, 16.4% of adults smoke as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 11.6% as of 2022.
be 37.8% less likely to be physically inactive
In Iowa, 24.9% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 15.5% as of 2022.
be 2.2 times 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 District of Columbia, that number is 44.4% as of 2023.
be 2.1 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 District of Columbia, that number is 6.5% as of 2023.
commute 10.5 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Iowa takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023. In District of Columbia, it takes 30.3 minutes as of 2023.
live among residents who are 3.7 years older on average
The median age in Iowa is 38.6 years as of 2023. In District of Columbia, the median age is 34.9 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 194.7 times more densely populated
Iowa has a population density of 22.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 4,322.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 33.8% more likely to be food insecure
In Iowa, 7.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In District of Columbia, that number is 9.9% 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.
