Some of you might be asking yourself, at this very moment, is Iowa a good place?
The answer is unequivocally yes… if you know where to locate the best counties to live in Iowa.
Lucky for you, we’re here to help you identify the best counties to live in the Hawkeye State based on the most recently available data from the Census. And this isn’t our first rodeo — we’ve been using Saturday Night Science to rank places for years.
The question becomes if you wanted to relocate to the best part of Iowa, where would you go? To answer that, we looked at crime, cost of living, and demographic data for all 99 counties in the state.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 Best Counties To Live In Iowa For 2024
Madison County is the county to be when it comes to living the good life in Iowa. And you should avoid Appanoose County if you can — at least according to the data.
Now you know exactly where to move in Iowa. Keep on reading for more about the top ten and a detailed methodology.
Or, check out the best places to live in Iowa and the cheapest places to live in Iowa.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The Best Counties To Live In Iowa For 2024
1. Madison County
Biggest Place: West Des Moines
Population: 16,609
Median Income: $88,110 (3rd best)
Median Home Price: $296,549 (3rd best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.3% (20th best)
More on Madison County: Data
2. Warren County
Biggest Place: Des Moines
Population: 52,709
Median Income: $89,741 (2nd best)
Median Home Price: $296,338 (4th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.2% (45th best)
More on Warren County: Data
3. Bremer County
Biggest Place: Waverly
Population: 25,012
Median Income: $84,727 (4th best)
Median Home Price: $230,993 (15th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.2% (42nd best)
More on Bremer County: Data
4. Grundy County
Biggest Place: Grundy Center
Population: 12,351
Median Income: $80,701 (7th best)
Median Home Price: $196,446 (32nd best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.5% (27th best)
More on Grundy County: Data
5. Dickinson County
Biggest Place: Spirit Lake
Population: 17,692
Median Income: $72,446 (27th best)
Median Home Price: $365,910 (best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.1% (16th best)
More on Dickinson County: Data
6. Dallas County
Biggest Place: West Des Moines
Population: 100,367
Median Income: $99,533 (best)
Median Home Price: $332,474 (2nd best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.0% (40th best)
More on Dallas County: Data
7. Benton County
Biggest Place: Vinton
Population: 25,652
Median Income: $79,444 (9th best)
Median Home Price: $215,658 (19th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.3% (23rd best)
More on Benton County: Data
8. Winneshiek County
Biggest Place: Decorah
Population: 20,050
Median Income: $67,770 (43rd best)
Median Home Price: $279,799 (6th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.1% (12th best)
More on Winneshiek County: Data
9. Boone County
Biggest Place: Boone
Population: 26,700
Median Income: $75,759 (17th best)
Median Home Price: $208,125 (28th best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.3% (3rd best)
More on Boone County: Data
10. Cedar County
Biggest Place: Tipton
Population: 18,479
Median Income: $76,959 (12th best)
Median Home Price: $227,990 (16th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.0% (38th best)
More on Cedar County: Data
Methodology: How do you determine which Iowa county is the best?
To give you the best county in Iowa, we have to look at a handful of metrics that signal the quality of a place. To do that, we made assumptions about what’s in a “best county” and what isn’t. For reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, Saturday Night Science.
With that in mind, we went to two of the best data sources on the internet. Namely, the American Community Survey data and FBI Crime data for the most recent period.
We paid particular attention to:
- Violent Crime Rates
- Property Crime Rates
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Unemployment Rates
- Adult Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We then ranked each county in Iowa across each of the criteria from one to 99, with one being the best.
Taking the average rank across all criteria, we created a quality of life score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Best County To Live In Iowa.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and best counties to raise a family in the Hawkeye State.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the best counties to live in Iowa.
Read on to see why Madison County is the best county, while Appanoose County is probably in contention for being the worst county in Iowa.
Summary: The Best Counties In Iowa To Call Home For 2024
Living in Iowa can vary from one part of the state to the next — who woulda thought?
The best counties in Iowa are Madison County, Warren County, Bremer County, Grundy County, Dickinson County, Dallas County, Benton County, Winneshiek County, Boone County, and Cedar County.
But now you know the outstanding parts and the parts to avoid, and that’s why you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome.
Here’s a look at the worst counties in Iowa according to the data:
- Appanoose County
- Wapello County
- Decatur County
For more Iowa reading, check out:
- Best Places To Buy A House In Iowa
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Iowa
- Best Counties To Live In Iowa
- Best Places To Retire In Iowa
Detailed List Of The Best Counties In Iowa
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madison County | 16,609 | $88,110 | $296,549 |
| 2 | Warren County | 52,709 | $89,741 | $296,338 |
| 3 | Bremer County | 25,012 | $84,727 | $230,993 |
| 4 | Grundy County | 12,351 | $80,701 | $196,446 |
| 5 | Dickinson County | 17,692 | $72,446 | $365,910 |
| 6 | Dallas County | 100,367 | $99,533 | $332,474 |
| 7 | Benton County | 25,652 | $79,444 | $215,658 |
| 8 | Winneshiek County | 20,050 | $67,770 | $279,799 |
| 9 | Boone County | 26,700 | $75,759 | $208,125 |
| 10 | Cedar County | 18,479 | $76,959 | $227,990 |
| 11 | Mills County | 14,605 | $81,907 | $260,397 |
| 12 | Lyon County | 12,023 | $73,735 | $216,304 |
| 13 | Carroll County | 20,728 | $68,041 | $185,811 |
| 14 | Marion County | 33,487 | $74,193 | $233,369 |
| 15 | Delaware County | 17,523 | $75,896 | $219,306 |
| 16 | Plymouth County | 25,621 | $79,963 | $251,031 |
| 17 | Iowa County | 16,575 | $69,787 | $213,121 |
| 18 | Guthrie County | 10,619 | $75,795 | $239,136 |
| 19 | Sioux County | 35,815 | $81,914 | $261,701 |
| 20 | Fremont County | 6,639 | $69,375 | $147,741 |
| 21 | Linn County | 229,308 | $75,457 | $210,133 |
| 22 | Jones County | 20,733 | $68,781 | $208,648 |
| 23 | Dubuque County | 98,812 | $73,495 | $239,543 |
| 24 | Harrison County | 14,623 | $75,830 | $193,130 |
| 25 | Shelby County | 11,737 | $70,295 | $184,567 |
| 26 | Chickasaw County | 11,957 | $72,734 | $186,615 |
| 27 | Jasper County | 37,808 | $67,784 | $198,920 |
| 28 | Winnebago County | 10,704 | $62,853 | $142,455 |
| 29 | Monroe County | 7,574 | $76,324 | $156,441 |
| 30 | Johnson County | 153,360 | $72,977 | $284,675 |
| 31 | Buchanan County | 20,631 | $73,493 | $196,315 |
| 32 | Mitchell County | 10,537 | $66,056 | $183,852 |
| 33 | Washington County | 22,534 | $71,122 | $206,285 |
| 34 | Worth County | 7,417 | $69,897 | $163,381 |
| 35 | Ringgold County | 4,690 | $67,898 | $150,941 |
| 36 | Cerro Gordo County | 42,979 | $63,149 | $186,284 |
| 37 | Hancock County | 10,790 | $67,865 | $166,194 |
| 38 | Jackson County | 19,470 | $69,709 | $211,131 |
| 39 | Calhoun County | 9,893 | $65,614 | $130,538 |
| 40 | Polk County | 493,378 | $78,827 | $261,050 |
| 41 | Poweshiek County | 18,608 | $61,192 | $210,922 |
| 42 | Davis County | 9,093 | $77,176 | $210,081 |
| 43 | Adair County | 7,479 | $63,172 | $166,966 |
| 44 | O’brien County | 14,138 | $65,076 | $164,469 |
| 45 | Palo Alto County | 8,938 | $67,306 | $143,560 |
| 46 | Sac County | 9,778 | $68,778 | $152,613 |
| 47 | Henry County | 20,436 | $62,365 | $172,751 |
| 48 | Scott County | 174,315 | $72,792 | $213,061 |
| 49 | Butler County | 14,376 | $65,743 | $175,196 |
| 50 | Adams County | 3,680 | $64,750 | $162,530 |
| 51 | Howard County | 9,479 | $63,947 | $168,862 |
| 52 | Hamilton County | 14,979 | $66,685 | $151,752 |
| 53 | Ida County | 6,969 | $63,125 | $140,672 |
| 54 | Muscatine County | 42,968 | $67,427 | $182,996 |
| 55 | Hardin County | 16,861 | $64,656 | $132,371 |
| 56 | Story County | 98,573 | $66,197 | $243,673 |
| 57 | Mahaska County | 22,059 | $65,200 | $169,869 |
| 58 | Kossuth County | 14,718 | $62,553 | $149,057 |
| 59 | Humboldt County | 9,606 | $66,617 | $158,856 |
| 60 | Pottawattamie County | 93,543 | $68,718 | $206,962 |
| 61 | Monona County | 8,671 | $59,897 | $138,206 |
| 62 | Clay County | 16,423 | $61,756 | $179,378 |
| 63 | Allamakee County | 14,046 | $64,049 | $215,448 |
| 64 | Keokuk County | 10,026 | $60,016 | $128,641 |
| 65 | Floyd County | 15,601 | $62,356 | $146,455 |
| 66 | Audubon County | 5,651 | $54,973 | $132,389 |
| 67 | Greene County | 8,801 | $56,884 | $145,306 |
| 68 | Louisa County | 10,823 | $72,500 | $152,862 |
| 69 | Des Moines County | 38,824 | $58,084 | $134,579 |
| 70 | Cherokee County | 11,601 | $63,638 | $148,556 |
| 71 | Cass County | 13,116 | $60,815 | $135,430 |
| 72 | Taylor County | 5,916 | $65,926 | $117,747 |
| 73 | Black Hawk County | 131,041 | $62,329 | $172,816 |
| 74 | Webster County | 36,986 | $65,335 | $133,691 |
| 75 | Buena Vista County | 20,687 | $62,662 | $180,891 |
| 76 | Clayton County | 17,123 | $60,441 | $190,374 |
| 77 | Wright County | 12,897 | $58,240 | $123,796 |
| 78 | Lee County | 33,442 | $58,094 | $112,283 |
| 79 | Marshall County | 40,049 | $70,828 | $152,485 |
| 80 | Woodbury County | 105,526 | $68,399 | $186,050 |
| 81 | Emmet County | 9,349 | $64,461 | $117,903 |
| 82 | Montgomery County | 10,285 | $61,261 | $126,402 |
| 83 | Clinton County | 46,488 | $61,080 | $164,063 |
| 84 | Lucas County | 8,666 | $63,405 | $160,125 |
| 85 | Fayette County | 19,519 | $56,043 | $139,704 |
| 86 | Franklin County | 10,015 | $62,214 | $140,151 |
| 87 | Osceola County | 6,149 | $67,561 | $141,110 |
| 88 | Tama County | 17,017 | $65,483 | $155,382 |
| 89 | Wayne County | 6,484 | $58,257 | $121,416 |
| 90 | Pocahontas County | 7,061 | $61,434 | $101,077 |
| 91 | Clarke County | 9,737 | $63,120 | $167,802 |
| 92 | Jefferson County | 15,785 | $52,210 | $168,789 |
| 93 | Page County | 15,225 | $58,264 | $133,426 |
| 94 | Union County | 12,107 | $56,495 | $130,581 |
| 95 | Van Buren County | 7,207 | $58,417 | $144,125 |
| 96 | Crawford County | 16,450 | $61,188 | $154,218 |
| 97 | Decatur County | 7,684 | $56,068 | $128,902 |
| 98 | Wapello County | 35,292 | $56,209 | $114,869 |
| 99 | Appanoose County | 12,279 | $50,684 | $96,764 |
