Council Bluffs, IA
Census place 1916860 · pop 62,586
Where Abraham Lincoln designated the eastern terminus of the first transcontinental railroad.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
18.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
84.7% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.78% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
40.0% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
2465 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
421 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
21.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
28.7% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
+0.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
15.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
18.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$64,578 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
63.1% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
9.1% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.43 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
42 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
84/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.3% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$171,800 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,308/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
18 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
Frequently asked
- Is Council Bluffs, IA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Council Bluffs scores 47/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is commute time and its weakest is adult smoking. Iowa overall ranks #11 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Council Bluffs, IA?
- Council Bluffs reports 421 violent crimes per 100k and 2465 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Council Bluffs, IA expensive to live in?
- Council Bluffs has a median home value of $171,800 and typical rent around $1,308/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Council Bluffs, IA?
- Its weakest measured area is adult smoking (18.4%) — 11/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Council Bluffs, IA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is commute time (18 min) — 87/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Where Abraham Lincoln designated the eastern terminus of the first transcontinental railroad.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.