Some of you might be asking yourself, at this very moment, is Iowa a good place?
The answer is unequivocally yes… if you know where to locate the best counties to live in Iowa.
Lucky for you, we’re here to help you identify the best counties to live in the Hawkeye State based on the most recently available data from the Census. And this isn’t our first rodeo — we’ve been using Saturday Night Science to rank places for years.
The question becomes if you wanted to relocate to the best part of Iowa, where would you go? To answer that, we looked at crime, cost of living, and demographic data for all 99 counties in the state.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 Best Counties To Live In Iowa For 2025
- Warren County
- Grundy County
- Marion County
- Dickinson County
- Boone County
- Mills County
- Dallas County
- Bremer County
- Winneshiek County
- Lyon County
Warren County is the county to be when it comes to living the good life in Iowa. And you should avoid Appanoose County if you can — at least according to the data.
Now you know exactly where to move in Iowa. Keep on reading for more about the top ten and a detailed methodology.
Or, check out the best places to live in Iowa and the cheapest places to live in Iowa.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The Best Counties To Live In Iowa For 2025
1. Warren County
Biggest Place: Des Moines
Population: 53,484
Median Income: $92,990 (2nd best)
Median Home Price: $252,800 (3rd best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.0% (47th best)
More on Warren County:
2. Grundy County
Biggest Place: Grundy Center
Population: 12,352
Median Income: $83,617 (7th best)
Median Home Price: $180,500 (27th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.2% (2best)
More on Grundy County:
3. Marion County
Biggest Place: Pella
Population: 33,551
Median Income: $78,059 (17th best)
Median Home Price: $211,100 (15th best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.9% (12th best)
More on Marion County:
4. Dickinson County
Biggest Place: Spirit Lake
Population: 17,844
Median Income: $74,570 (26th best)
Median Home Price: $251,600 (4th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.4% (29th best)
More on Dickinson County:
5. Boone County
Biggest Place: Boone
Population: 26,669
Median Income: $79,741 (13th best)
Median Home Price: $191,200 (2best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.3% (5th best)
More on Boone County:
6. Mills County
Biggest Place: Glenwood
Population: 14,563
Median Income: $87,810 (4th best)
Median Home Price: $228,700 (10th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.8% (38th best)
More on Mills County:
7. Dallas County
Biggest Place: West Des Moines
Population: 104,136
Median Income: $102,349 (best)
Median Home Price: $333,400 (best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.9% (42nd best)
More on Dallas County:
8. Bremer County
Biggest Place: Waverly
Population: 25,118
Median Income: $83,343 (8th best)
Median Home Price: $207,200 (16th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.6% (63rd best)
More on Bremer County:
9. Winneshiek County
Biggest Place: Decorah
Population: 19,972
Median Income: $75,652 (24th best)
Median Home Price: $239,000 (7th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.3% (25th best)
More on Winneshiek County:
10. Lyon County
Biggest Place: Rock Rapids
Population: 12,087
Median Income: $72,881 (30th best)
Median Home Price: $215,600 (13th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.4% (27th best)
More on Lyon County:
Methodology: How do you determine which Iowa county is the best?
To give you the best county in Iowa, we have to look at a handful of metrics that signal the quality of a place. To do that, we made assumptions about what’s in a “best county” and what isn’t. For reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, Saturday Night Science.
With that in mind, we went to two of the best data sources on the internet. Namely, the American Community Survey data and FBI Crime data for the most recent period.
We paid particular attention to:
- Violent Crime Rates
- Property Crime Rates
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Unemployment Rates
- Adult Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We then ranked each county in Iowa across each of the criteria from one to 99, with one being the best.
Taking the average rank across all criteria, we created a quality of life score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Best County To Live In Iowa.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and best counties to raise a family in the Hawkeye State.
We updated this article for 2025. This report is our tenth time ranking the best counties to live in Iowa.
Read on to see why Warren County is the best county, while Appanoose County is probably in contention for being the worst county in Iowa.
Summary: The Best Counties In Iowa To Call Home For 2025
Living in Iowa can vary from one part of the state to the next — who woulda thought?
The best counties in Iowa are Warren County, Grundy County, Marion County, Dickinson County, Boone County, Mills County, Dallas County, Bremer County, Winneshiek County, and Lyon County.
But now you know the outstanding parts and the parts to avoid, and that’s why you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome.
Here’s a look at the worst counties in Iowa according to the data:
- Appanoose County
- Wapello County
- Van Buren County
For more Iowa reading, check out:
- Best Places To Retire In Iowa
- Cheapest Places To Live In Iowa
- Safest Places In Iowa
- Best Places To Buy A House In Iowa
Detailed List Of The Best Counties In Iowa
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warren County | 53,484 | $92,990 | $252,800 |
| 2 | Grundy County | 12,352 | $83,617 | $180,500 |
| 3 | Marion County | 33,551 | $78,059 | $211,100 |
| 4 | Dickinson County | 17,844 | $74,570 | $251,600 |
| 5 | Boone County | 26,669 | $79,741 | $191,200 |
| 6 | Mills County | 14,563 | $87,810 | $228,700 |
| 7 | Dallas County | 104,136 | $102,349 | $333,400 |
| 8 | Bremer County | 25,118 | $83,343 | $207,200 |
| 9 | Winneshiek County | 19,972 | $75,652 | $239,000 |
| 10 | Lyon County | 12,087 | $72,881 | $215,600 |
| 11 | Madison County | 16,760 | $89,542 | $236,900 |
| 12 | Cedar County | 18,427 | $79,080 | $199,700 |
| 13 | Benton County | 25,698 | $84,742 | $198,400 |
| 14 | Carroll County | 20,677 | $68,528 | $175,700 |
| 15 | Iowa County | 16,547 | $72,185 | $189,800 |
| 16 | Fremont County | 6,570 | $73,750 | $147,500 |
| 17 | Plymouth County | 25,699 | $81,600 | $218,600 |
| 18 | Harrison County | 14,645 | $77,027 | $165,300 |
| 19 | Guthrie County | 10,646 | $79,981 | $163,900 |
| 20 | Delaware County | 17,549 | $76,205 | $168,700 |
| 21 | Sioux County | 35,984 | $84,736 | $235,600 |
| 22 | Linn County | 229,463 | $76,421 | $204,400 |
| 23 | Dubuque County | 98,948 | $75,919 | $226,100 |
| 24 | Buchanan County | 20,645 | $78,430 | $171,400 |
| 25 | Jones County | 20,799 | $73,071 | $183,400 |
| 26 | Monroe County | 7,546 | $72,518 | $135,900 |
| 27 | Shelby County | 11,757 | $67,690 | $156,200 |
| 28 | Cerro Gordo County | 42,785 | $65,537 | $154,100 |
| 29 | Chickasaw County | 11,868 | $73,421 | $164,400 |
| 30 | Kossuth County | 14,610 | $65,656 | $135,100 |
| 31 | Mitchell County | 10,548 | $68,704 | $164,100 |
| 32 | Johnson County | 154,881 | $74,721 | $293,100 |
| 33 | Polk County | 497,441 | $81,621 | $248,400 |
| 34 | Worth County | 7,380 | $76,875 | $142,300 |
| 35 | Jasper County | 37,864 | $70,128 | $176,800 |
| 36 | Butler County | 14,301 | $69,651 | $156,500 |
| 37 | Washington County | 22,539 | $71,339 | $199,600 |
| 38 | Calhoun County | 9,858 | $66,875 | $114,400 |
| 39 | Poweshiek County | 18,582 | $64,837 | $184,200 |
| 40 | Scott County | 174,302 | $76,363 | $212,500 |
| 41 | O’brien County | 14,103 | $68,216 | $158,900 |
| 42 | Winnebago County | 10,648 | $63,719 | $132,300 |
| 43 | Story County | 98,592 | $69,006 | $243,600 |
| 44 | Monona County | 8,619 | $62,944 | $122,600 |
| 45 | Ringgold County | 4,664 | $69,821 | $150,300 |
| 46 | Hamilton County | 14,893 | $71,750 | $132,300 |
| 47 | Jackson County | 19,429 | $71,605 | $170,000 |
| 48 | Clay County | 16,446 | $64,082 | $171,500 |
| 49 | Mahaska County | 22,045 | $69,019 | $140,900 |
| 50 | Sac County | 9,759 | $70,991 | $138,400 |
| 51 | Adair County | 7,471 | $66,176 | $140,600 |
| 52 | Muscatine County | 42,735 | $69,512 | $172,400 |
| 53 | Palo Alto County | 8,902 | $68,963 | $119,300 |
| 54 | Montgomery County | 10,254 | $63,190 | $109,900 |
| 55 | Pottawattamie County | 93,407 | $71,446 | $183,600 |
| 56 | Adams County | 3,641 | $68,828 | $116,900 |
| 57 | Greene County | 8,722 | $59,159 | $140,500 |
| 58 | Howard County | 9,459 | $67,336 | $133,900 |
| 59 | Davis County | 9,127 | $79,505 | $146,000 |
| 60 | Hancock County | 10,718 | $70,212 | $129,300 |
| 61 | Floyd County | 15,502 | $64,500 | $133,300 |
| 62 | Henry County | 20,228 | $64,604 | $148,600 |
| 63 | Louisa County | 10,710 | $80,223 | $137,600 |
| 64 | Hardin County | 16,729 | $64,906 | $113,000 |
| 65 | Audubon County | 5,622 | $54,152 | $110,400 |
| 66 | Humboldt County | 9,573 | $66,994 | $146,900 |
| 67 | Ida County | 6,944 | $62,841 | $108,800 |
| 68 | Black Hawk County | 130,693 | $64,581 | $182,400 |
| 69 | Des Moines County | 38,597 | $60,662 | $137,000 |
| 70 | Allamakee County | 14,038 | $66,000 | $171,900 |
| 71 | Keokuk County | 9,964 | $60,856 | $112,200 |
| 72 | Cass County | 13,115 | $61,657 | $133,300 |
| 73 | Taylor County | 5,901 | $67,279 | $109,700 |
| 74 | Lee County | 33,175 | $59,803 | $123,600 |
| 75 | Emmet County | 9,316 | $65,181 | $106,200 |
| 76 | Marshall County | 39,971 | $72,785 | $134,100 |
| 77 | Clinton County | 46,383 | $65,177 | $153,800 |
| 78 | Webster County | 36,848 | $68,054 | $138,500 |
| 79 | Clayton County | 17,069 | $62,326 | $155,700 |
| 80 | Woodbury County | 105,760 | $70,147 | $172,000 |
| 81 | Wright County | 12,817 | $64,033 | $109,800 |
| 82 | Fayette County | 19,393 | $58,764 | $130,800 |
| 83 | Cherokee County | 11,587 | $64,478 | $145,100 |
| 84 | Jefferson County | 15,676 | $56,824 | $161,200 |
| 85 | Buena Vista County | 20,684 | $66,564 | $146,900 |
| 86 | Crawford County | 16,289 | $65,039 | $136,300 |
| 87 | Clarke County | 9,690 | $66,821 | $160,200 |
| 88 | Tama County | 16,982 | $67,955 | $139,900 |
| 89 | Page County | 15,168 | $57,752 | $120,000 |
| 90 | Pocahontas County | 7,040 | $63,423 | $93,300 |
| 91 | Wayne County | 6,518 | $59,118 | $102,300 |
| 92 | Lucas County | 8,685 | $67,921 | $117,000 |
| 93 | Franklin County | 9,977 | $63,648 | $118,500 |
| 94 | Osceola County | 6,114 | $69,138 | $123,800 |
| 95 | Union County | 12,038 | $56,813 | $117,800 |
| 96 | Decatur County | 7,669 | $57,146 | $109,500 |
| 97 | Van Buren County | 7,236 | $60,183 | $118,800 |
| 98 | Wapello County | 35,265 | $60,034 | $112,900 |
| 99 | Appanoose County | 12,242 | $51,146 | $119,800 |