Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Iowa instead of Vermont, you would:
Health
live 1.3 years less
In Vermont, the average life expectancy is 79 years (77 years for men, 82 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 42.3% more likely to be obese
In Vermont, 27.2% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 38.7% of people as of 2022.
be 45.6% more likely to have diabetes
In Vermont, 6.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 9.9% as of 2022.
Economy
make 12.9% more money
Vermont has a GDP per capita of $56,462 as of 2024, while in Iowa, the GDP per capita is $63,747 as of 2024.
be 26.9% more likely to be unemployed
In Vermont, 2.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Iowa, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.
Safety
be 20.8% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Vermont has a property crime rate of 1,802 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 1,427 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 31.2% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Vermont has a violent crime rate of 211 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 277 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 32.6% less for a home
The median home value in Vermont is $290,500 as of 2023, compared to $195,900 in Iowa as of 2023.
pay 20.5% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Vermont is $1,193 as of 2023, while in Iowa, it is $949 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 3.6 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Vermont takes 23.4 minutes as of 2023. In Iowa, it takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 18.1% less densely populated
Vermont has a population density of 27.1 people per sq km as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 22.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 82.4% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Vermont, 1.7% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 3.1% as of 2023.
be 16.9% less likely to be food insecure
In Vermont, 8.9% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Iowa, that number is 7.4% as of 2021.
be 20.5% more likely to be uninsured
In Vermont, 3.9% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 4.7% as of 2023.
be 20.6% more likely to smoke
In Vermont, 13.6% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 16.4% as of 2022.
be 43.1% more likely to be physically inactive
In Vermont, 17.4% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 24.9% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 4.4 years older on average
The median age in Vermont is 43.0 years as of 2023. In Iowa, the median age is 38.6 years as of 2023.
be 33.3% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Vermont, 30.6% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 20.4% 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.
