Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Iowa instead of North Dakota, you would:
Health
be 10.0% more likely to have diabetes
In North Dakota, 9.0% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 9.9% as of 2022.
Economy
make 19.6% less money
North Dakota has a GDP per capita of $79,272 as of 2024, while in Iowa, the GDP per capita is $63,747 as of 2024.
be 32.0% more likely to be unemployed
In North Dakota, 2.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Iowa, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.
Safety
be 25.1% less likely to be a victim of property crime
North Dakota has a property crime rate of 1,904 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 1,427 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 18.7% less for a home
The median home value in North Dakota is $241,100 as of 2023, compared to $195,900 in Iowa as of 2023.
be 12.8% more likely to own your home
In North Dakota, 63.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 71.5% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 26.6% less likely to be uninsured
In North Dakota, 6.4% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 4.7% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 2.9 years older on average
The median age in North Dakota is 35.7 years as of 2023. In Iowa, the median age is 38.6 years as of 2023.
be 24.0% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In North Dakota, 2.5% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 3.1% as of 2023.
commute 1.8 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in North Dakota takes 18.0 minutes as of 2023. In Iowa, it takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 5.0 times more densely populated
North Dakota has a population density of 4.4 people per sq km as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 22.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 39.6% more likely to be food insecure
In North Dakota, 5.3% 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), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
