Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Minnesota instead of Iowa, you would:
Health
live 1.6 years longer
In Iowa, the average life expectancy is 78 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Minnesota, that number is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020.
be 12.4% less likely to be obese
In Iowa, 38.7% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Minnesota, that number is 33.9% 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 Minnesota, that number is 8.8% as of 2022.
Economy
be 16.2% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Iowa, 10.5% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Minnesota, however, that number is 8.8% as of 2023.
be 30.3% more likely to be unemployed
In Iowa, 3.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Minnesota, that number is 4.3% as of 2025.
Safety
be 17.4% 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 Minnesota, that number is 1,675 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 19.7% more money
The median household income in Iowa is $73,147 as of 2023, while in Minnesota, it is $87,556 as of 2023.
pay 55.9% more for a home
The median home value in Iowa is $195,900 as of 2023, compared to $305,500 in Minnesota as of 2023.
pay 30.1% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Iowa is $949 as of 2023, while in Minnesota, it is $1,235 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 15.2% less likely to smoke
In Iowa, 16.4% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Minnesota, that number is 13.9% as of 2022.
be 21.7% less likely to be physically inactive
In Iowa, 24.9% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Minnesota, that number is 19.5% as of 2022.
be 27.5% 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 Minnesota, that number is 26.0% as of 2023.
be 12.9% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Iowa, 3.1% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Minnesota, that number is 3.5% as of 2023.
commute 3.3 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Iowa takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023. In Minnesota, it takes 23.1 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 25.7% more densely populated
Iowa has a population density of 22.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Minnesota, that number is 27.9 people per sq km as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
