Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Iowa instead of Washington, you would:
Health
live 1.7 years less
In Washington, the average life expectancy is 79 years (78 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 24.4% more likely to be obese
In Washington, 31.1% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 38.7% of people as of 2022.
be 13.8% more likely to have diabetes
In Washington, 8.7% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 9.9% as of 2022.
Economy
be 37.7% less likely to be unemployed
In Washington, 5.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Iowa, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.
make 27.4% less money
Washington has a GDP per capita of $87,768 as of 2024, while in Iowa, the GDP per capita is $63,747 as of 2024.
be 11.7% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Washington, 9.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Iowa, however, that number is 10.5% as of 2023.
Safety
be 20.5% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Washington has a violent crime rate of 349 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 277 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 49.4% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Washington has a property crime rate of 2,819 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 1,427 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 62.3% less for a home
The median home value in Washington is $519,800 as of 2023, compared to $195,900 in Iowa as of 2023.
pay 43.6% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Washington is $1,682 as of 2023, while in Iowa, it is $949 as of 2023.
be 11.9% more likely to own your home
In Washington, 63.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 71.5% as of 2023.
earn 23.0% less money
The median household income in Washington is $94,952 as of 2023, while in Iowa, it is $73,147 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 7.2 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Washington takes 27.0 minutes as of 2023. In Iowa, it takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023.
be 23.0% less likely to be uninsured
In Washington, 6.1% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 4.7% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 51.3% less densely populated
Washington has a population density of 45.6 people per sq km as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 22.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 14.0% less likely to be food insecure
In Washington, 8.6% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Iowa, that number is 7.4% as of 2021.
be 50.5% more likely to smoke
In Washington, 10.9% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 16.4% as of 2022.
be 44.8% more likely to be physically inactive
In Washington, 17.2% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 24.9% as of 2022.
be 22.1% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Washington, 26.2% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 20.4% as of 2023.
be 59.2% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Washington, 7.6% 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.
