Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Pennsylvania instead of Iowa, you would:
Health
be 11.1% less likely to be obese
In Iowa, 38.7% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Pennsylvania, that number is 34.4% of people as of 2022.
Economy
be 12.1% more likely to be unemployed
In Iowa, 3.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Pennsylvania, that number is 3.7% as of 2025.
Housing & Income
pay 22.8% more for a home
The median home value in Iowa is $195,900 as of 2023, compared to $240,500 in Pennsylvania as of 2023.
pay 22.4% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Iowa is $949 as of 2023, while in Pennsylvania, it is $1,162 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
live among residents who are 2.3 years older on average
The median age in Iowa is 38.6 years as of 2023. In Pennsylvania, the median age is 40.9 years as of 2023.
be 18.6% 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 Pennsylvania, that number is 24.2% as of 2023.
commute 6.8 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Iowa takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023. In Pennsylvania, it takes 26.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 17.0% more likely to be uninsured
In Iowa, 4.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Pennsylvania, that number is 5.5% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 5.1 times more densely populated
Iowa has a population density of 22.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Pennsylvania, that number is 112.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 25.7% more likely to be food insecure
In Iowa, 7.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Pennsylvania, that number is 9.3% 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).
