Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Rhode Island instead of Iowa, you would:
Health
be 18.3% less likely to be obese
In Iowa, 38.7% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Rhode Island, that number is 31.6% of people as of 2022.
Economy
make 10.7% less money
Iowa has a GDP per capita of $63,747 as of 2024, while in Rhode Island, the GDP per capita is $56,938 as of 2024.
be 33.3% more likely to be unemployed
In Iowa, 3.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Rhode Island, that number is 4.4% as of 2025.
Safety
be 40.5% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Iowa has a violent crime rate of 277 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Rhode Island, that number is 165 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 22.7% less 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 Rhode Island, that number is 1,102 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 18.1% more money
The median household income in Iowa is $73,147 as of 2023, while in Rhode Island, it is $86,372 as of 2023.
pay 88.3% more for a home
The median home value in Iowa is $195,900 as of 2023, compared to $368,800 in Rhode Island as of 2023.
pay 34.1% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Iowa is $949 as of 2023, while in Rhode Island, it is $1,273 as of 2023.
be 11.5% less likely to own your home
In Iowa, 71.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In Rhode Island, that number is 63.3% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 10.6% less likely to be uninsured
In Iowa, 4.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Rhode Island, that number is 4.2% as of 2023.
be 16.5% less likely to smoke
In Iowa, 16.4% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Rhode Island, that number is 13.7% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 1.9 years older on average
The median age in Iowa is 38.6 years as of 2023. In Rhode Island, the median age is 40.5 years as of 2023.
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 Rhode Island, that number is 26.0% 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 Rhode Island, that number is 6.6% as of 2023.
commute 5.7 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Iowa takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023. In Rhode Island, it takes 25.5 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 18.4 times more densely populated
Iowa has a population density of 22.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Rhode Island, that number is 407.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 24.3% more likely to be food insecure
In Iowa, 7.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Rhode Island, that number is 9.2% 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.
