Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Iowa instead of Minnesota, you would:
Health
live 1.6 years less
In Minnesota, the average life expectancy is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020. In Iowa, that number is 78 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
be 14.2% more likely to be obese
In Minnesota, 33.9% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 38.7% of people as of 2022.
be 12.5% more likely to have diabetes
In Minnesota, 8.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 9.9% as of 2022.
Economy
be 23.3% less likely to be unemployed
In Minnesota, 4.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Iowa, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.
be 19.3% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Minnesota, 8.8% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Iowa, however, that number is 10.5% as of 2023.
Safety
be 14.8% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Minnesota has a property crime rate of 1,675 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 1,427 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 35.9% less for a home
The median home value in Minnesota is $305,500 as of 2023, compared to $195,900 in Iowa as of 2023.
pay 23.2% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Minnesota is $1,235 as of 2023, while in Iowa, it is $949 as of 2023.
earn 16.5% less money
The median household income in Minnesota is $87,556 as of 2023, while in Iowa, it is $73,147 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 3.3 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Minnesota takes 23.1 minutes as of 2023. In Iowa, it takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 20.4% less densely populated
Minnesota has a population density of 27.9 people per sq km as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 22.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 18.0% more likely to smoke
In Minnesota, 13.9% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 16.4% as of 2022.
be 27.7% more likely to be physically inactive
In Minnesota, 19.5% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 24.9% as of 2022.
be 21.5% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Minnesota, 26.0% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 20.4% as of 2023.
be 11.4% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Minnesota, 3.5% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 3.1% as of 2023.
be 10.4% more likely to be food insecure
In Minnesota, 6.7% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Iowa, that number is 7.4% 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), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
