Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Iowa instead of Texas, you would:
Health
live 1.0 years longer
In Texas, the average life expectancy is 76 years (76 years for men, 81 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 26.1% less likely to have diabetes
In Texas, 13.4% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 9.9% as of 2022.
Economy
be 15.4% less likely to be unemployed
In Texas, 3.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Iowa, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.
be 16.7% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Texas, 12.6% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Iowa, however, that number is 10.5% as of 2023.
Safety
be 29.0% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Texas has a violent crime rate of 391 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 277 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 33.7% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Texas has a property crime rate of 2,153 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 1,427 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 24.8% less for a home
The median home value in Texas is $260,400 as of 2023, compared to $195,900 in Iowa as of 2023.
pay 29.1% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Texas is $1,339 as of 2023, while in Iowa, it is $949 as of 2023.
be 14.2% more likely to own your home
In Texas, 62.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 71.5% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 6.9 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Texas takes 26.7 minutes as of 2023. In Iowa, it takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023.
be 70.6% less likely to be uninsured
In Texas, 16.0% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 4.7% as of 2023.
be 10.1% less likely to be physically inactive
In Texas, 27.7% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 24.9% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 3.1 years older on average
The median age in Texas is 35.5 years as of 2023. In Iowa, the median age is 38.6 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 51.0% less densely populated
Texas has a population density of 45.3 people per sq km as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 22.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 42.2% less likely to be food insecure
In Texas, 12.8% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Iowa, that number is 7.4% as of 2021.
be 11.6% more likely to smoke
In Texas, 14.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 16.4% as of 2022.
be 67.0% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Texas, 9.4% 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), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
