Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Michigan instead of Iowa, you would:
Health
live 1.5 years less
In Iowa, the average life expectancy is 78 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Michigan, that number is 76 years (76 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
make 12.9% less money
Iowa has a GDP per capita of $63,747 as of 2024, while in Michigan, the GDP per capita is $55,508 as of 2024.
be 45.5% more likely to be unemployed
In Iowa, 3.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Michigan, that number is 4.8% as of 2025.
be 21.0% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Iowa, 10.5% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Michigan, however, that number is 12.7% as of 2023.
Safety
be 63.5% 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 Michigan, that number is 453 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 11.1% more for a home
The median home value in Iowa is $195,900 as of 2023, compared to $217,600 in Michigan as of 2023.
pay 14.2% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Iowa is $949 as of 2023, while in Michigan, it is $1,084 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
live among residents who are 1.5 years older on average
The median age in Iowa is 38.6 years as of 2023. In Michigan, the median age is 40.1 years as of 2023.
commute 4.6 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Iowa takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023. In Michigan, it takes 24.4 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 3.1 times more densely populated
Iowa has a population density of 22.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Michigan, that number is 68.5 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 56.8% more likely to be food insecure
In Iowa, 7.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Michigan, that number is 11.6% as of 2021.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Feeding America, OECD Regional Demography, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
