Residential comparison · 13 facts
Iowa City, IA vs Marion, IA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Iowa City needs about $81,000 in Marion to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Marion, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $89,000 in Iowa City.
A few differences
- Marion is higher on median household income ($86,743 vs $58,546).
- Marion is lower on cost of living index (82 vs 85).
- Marion is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,059/mo vs $1,120/mo).
Iowa City vs Marion · facet by facet
| Facet | Iowa City, IA | Marion, IA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $285,900 | $241,700 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,120/mo | $1,059/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| State & local income tax | 5.3% | 5.3% |
| Sales tax | 6.9% | 6.9% |
| Cost of living index | 85 | 82 |
| Groceries index | 94 | 94 |
| Utilities | $150/mo | $150/mo |
| Median household income | $58,546 | $86,743 |
| Unemployment rate | 3% | 3% |
| Crime index | 38/100 | 38/100 |
| School rating | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 200 days | 200 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Iowa City, IA · Marion, IA
Questions & answers
- Is Iowa City cheaper than Marion?
- Marion has the lower day-to-day cost index (82 vs 85 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Marion equals $85,000 in Iowa City?
- A household earning $85,000 in Iowa City needs about $81,000 in Marion to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Marion lifestyle costs about $89,000 in Iowa City.