Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Iowa instead of Oklahoma, you would:
Health
live 3.4 years longer
In Oklahoma, the average life expectancy is 74 years (73 years for men, 78 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 18.2% less likely to have diabetes
In Oklahoma, 12.1% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 9.9% as of 2022.
Economy
make 25.0% more money
Oklahoma has a GDP per capita of $51,007 as of 2024, while in Iowa, the GDP per capita is $63,747 as of 2024.
be 13.2% less likely to be unemployed
In Oklahoma, 3.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Iowa, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.
be 27.1% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Oklahoma, 14.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Iowa, however, that number is 10.5% as of 2023.
Safety
be 31.8% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Oklahoma has a violent crime rate of 407 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 277 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 32.5% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Oklahoma has a property crime rate of 2,112 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 1,427 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 15.0% more money
The median household income in Oklahoma is $63,603 as of 2023, while in Iowa, it is $73,147 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 2.6 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Oklahoma takes 22.4 minutes as of 2023. In Iowa, it takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023.
be 63.0% less likely to be uninsured
In Oklahoma, 12.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 4.7% as of 2023.
be 15.6% less likely to be physically inactive
In Oklahoma, 29.5% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 24.9% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 1.7 years older on average
The median age in Oklahoma is 36.9 years as of 2023. In Iowa, the median age is 38.6 years as of 2023.
be 14.6% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Oklahoma, 17.8% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 20.4% as of 2023.
be 45.6% less likely to be food insecure
In Oklahoma, 13.6% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Iowa, that number is 7.4% as of 2021.
be 13.9% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Oklahoma, 3.6% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 3.1% as of 2023.
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.
