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Moving Guides/Cedar Rapids

Moving to Cedar Rapids

What you need to know before relocating to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Data-driven insights on housing, jobs, safety, and quality of life.

Is Cedar Rapids a Good Place to Live?

Based on data across cost of living, job market, safety, and education, Cedar Rapids compares favorably on multiple dimensions. Highlights include rent ($922/mo) is below the national average; home prices ($222,200) are well below the us median; violent crime rate (280/100k) is well below the national average.

Cedar Rapids at a Glance

Population
276K
Median Income
$73,569
Median Rent
$922/mo
Median Home Price
$222,200
Unemployment
3.3%
Avg Commute
121288 min

Cost of Living in Cedar Rapids

The median rent in Cedar Rapids is $922/month, while the median home value is $222,200. With a median household income of $73,569, residents spend roughly 15% of monthly income on rent.

Overall, the Cedar Rapids metro area is classified as affordable compared to other US metros.

Rent vs. National Avg
34% below
Home Price vs. National Avg
27% below

Job Market

Cedar Rapids has a median household income of $73,569, which is 1% below the national median. The local unemployment rate is 3.3%, compared to the national average of 3.7%.

Safety in Cedar Rapids

The violent crime rate in Cedar Rapids is 280 per 100,000 residents, which is 26% below the national average of 380.

Property crime rate: 1441 per 100,000 residents.

Education in Iowa

Iowa has a high school graduation rate of 92% and per-pupil spending of $16,021/year. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1.

35% of Iowa adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Healthcare Access

Iowa has 224 physicians per 100,000 residents, a 5.3% uninsured rate, and 3.2 hospital beds per 1,000 people. Life expectancy in Iowa is 78.0 years.

Pros and Cons of Living in Cedar Rapids

+Pros

  • Rent ($922/mo) is below the national average
  • Home prices ($222,200) are well below the US median
  • Violent crime rate (280/100k) is well below the national average
  • High school graduation rate of 92%
  • Low uninsured rate (5.3%) and good healthcare access

-Cons

  • Longer-than-average commute (121288 min)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cedar Rapids a good place to live?

Cedar Rapids, Iowa has several attributes that make it an attractive place to live, including rent ($922/mo) is below the national average and home prices ($222,200) are well below the us median. It scores well on multiple quality-of-life metrics relative to the national average.

What is the cost of living in Cedar Rapids?

The median rent in Cedar Rapids is $922/month and the median home value is $222,200. The median household income is $73,569. Overall the metro is considered affordable.

Is Cedar Rapids safe?

Cedar Rapids has a violent crime rate of 280 incidents per 100,000 residents. The national average is approximately 380 per 100,000.

What is the job market like in Cedar Rapids?

Cedar Rapids has an unemployment rate of 3.3%, compared to the national average of 3.7%. The median household income is $73,569.

Explore More About Cedar Rapids