Johnston, IA

Census place 1939765 · pop 24,384

C65/ 100
👍 Solid
B
in IA
📍 Iowa ranks #11 of 50 states →
🏆 Uninsured4.9% · top 6%
🚽 Prop tax1.78% · bottom 15%
Taxes
1.78% property · US 0.99%6.94% sales · US 7.00%3.80% flat income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Property-tax burden1.78%15

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.

Housing cost$369,10035

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$369,100 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Air quality (AQI)County-level45 AQI39

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

45 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Income inequality0.4540

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).

Natural disaster riskCounty-level92/10043

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

92/100 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.

Adult obesity34.0%55

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

34.0% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Poverty rate10.2%57

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

10.2% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.4%62

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

3.4% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Broadband access93.2%64

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

93.2% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Homeownership70.8%68

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

70.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Property crime rate757/100k73

U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities

757 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Poor mental health15.3%75

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

15.3% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Commute time20 min77

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

20 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Violent crime rate77/100k78

U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities

77 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Rent$1,354/mo78

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,354/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Adult smoking10.2%78

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

10.2% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Median household income$106,55180

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$106,551 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Physical inactivity19.2%82

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

19.2% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

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.

Population growth (5yr)+13.9%87

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+13.9% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Bachelor's degree or higher57.8%89

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

57.8% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Uninsured adults4.9%94

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

4.9% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Frequently asked

Is Johnston, IA a good place to live?
By the numbers, Johnston scores 65/100 — a C (Solid) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is uninsured adults and its weakest is property-tax burden. 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 Johnston, IA?
Johnston reports 77 violent crimes per 100k and 757 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Johnston, IA expensive to live in?
Johnston has a median home value of $369,100 and typical rent around $1,354/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Johnston, IA?
Its weakest measured area is property-tax burden (1.78%) — 15/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Johnston, IA best at?
Its strongest measured area is uninsured adults (4.9%) — 94/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.