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Iowa

R+13  ·  Moderate tax burden  ·  COL index 88

B

3.8%

Income Tax

284

Violent Crime / 100K

78

Life Expectancy

$215K

Median Home

$1,100

Childcare / Mo

State Profile

70/100
255075100TAXES63SAFETY74HEALTH59SCHOOLS71AFFORDABLE86LONGEVITY67

Taxes

Income Tax

Flat 3.8% as of 2025

3.8% flat

Property Tax

~$3,053/yr on median home

1.42% / yr

Sales Tax

6.94% avg

Social Security

Exempt

Pension / IRA

Retirement income fully exempt as of 2023

Fully Exempt

Estate Tax

Inheritance tax fully phased out 2025

None

Inheritance Tax

None

Capital Gains

Taxed as income

Housing & Cost of Living

Cost of Living Index

National avg = 100

88

Median Home Price

$215,000

Median Rent (2BR)

$1,050/mo

Home Insurance

$1,700/yr

Homestead Exemption

Home equity protected from creditors

Unlimited

Asset Protection

Strong

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Crime & Safety

Violent Crime Rate

Near national avg

284 / 100K

Property Crime Rate

Near national avg

1,626 / 100K

Traffic Fatality Rate

11 / 100K

Healthcare

State Healthcare Rank

#21 of 50

Life Expectancy

78 yrs

Medicaid Expansion

Expanded

Uninsured Rate

Well below national avg

5.8%

Education

K-12 Quality Rank

#15 of 50

School Choice / Vouchers

Available

Childcare

Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)

$1,100/mo

Transportation

Car Insurance (Avg Annual)

$1,150

Traffic Fatality Rate

11 / 100K

Broadband Access

83% of households

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Social & Legal

Abortion Access

6-week ban signed 2023

Banned

LGBTQ+ Protections

Limited

Marijuana

Medical Only

Minimum Wage

$7.25/hr

Right to Work

Yes

Environment & Climate

Air Quality (Annual AQI)

Near national avg

34

Natural Disaster Risk

High

Primary Hazards

tornadofloodblizzard

Politics & Gun Laws

2024 Presidential Vote

R+13

Gun Law Grade

Source: Giffords Law Center

F

Carry Permit

No permit required

Purchase Permit Required

No

Gambling

Legal

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Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.