Dubuque, IA
Census place 1922395 · pop 59,174
Iowa's oldest city, home to the Fenelon Place Elevator, billed as the world's steepest and shortest scenic railway.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
413 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
88.9% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.31% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.45 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$65,845 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
+1.7% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
12.7% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
13.9% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
1453 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
3.7% 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 36.5% · better than most cities
34.5% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
65.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
34.0% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
23.6% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
16.5% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
78/100 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 $214,900 · better than most cities
$204,800 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
7.1% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,101/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
15 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
Not measured for Dubuque: Air, Bad air. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Dubuque, IA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Dubuque scores 54/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is commute time and its weakest is violent crime rate. 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 Dubuque, IA?
- Dubuque reports 413 violent crimes per 100k and 1453 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Dubuque, IA expensive to live in?
- Dubuque has a median home value of $204,800 and typical rent around $1,101/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Dubuque, IA?
- Its weakest measured area is violent crime rate (413/100k) — 23/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Dubuque, IA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is commute time (15 min) — 96/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Iowa's oldest city, home to the Fenelon Place Elevator, billed as the world's steepest and shortest scenic railway.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.