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There is more to Iowa than farmers, Hawkeyes fans, and Des Moines, there are a bunch of awesome places for those looking to retire in the great Midwest.
And since a person's golden years can be so unpredictable, you should probably not waste another second. Instead, you should take a look below at HomeSnacks' list of the best places to retire in Iowa for 2023. Did we mention that this is our tenth time ranking the best places to retire in the Hawkeye State? So, believe us when we say that the top ten places that made our list are the cream of Iowa's crop.
To determine Iowa's best places to retire, we looked at the latest FBI and Census reports on crime, demographics, affordable housing, distance to closest international airport, and amenities for 38 cities with over 10,000 residents. And, folks, the numbers don't lie.
We discovered that the best places to retire in Iowa are also some of the state's safest. Secondly, many of the top ten have great rates if you choose to rent. And, the ultimate reason to move to one of Iowa's best places to retire, they house some of the nicest people.
If you're already kickin' up your feet in one of Iowa's best places to retire, congrats. If not, take a look at our list below before you make any life changing decisions.
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Iowa For 2023
Why did Carroll take the top spot? And where are Des Moines and Cedar Rapids?
If you ask any Iowan, they will tell you that their corner of corn country is the best. And while they might be right, there are places in Iowa that are better than others if your retirement requirements include safe, affordable neighborhoods, great places to wine and dine, and an airport to bring your family to you.
So, where is the number one, best place to retire in Iowa for 2023? Well, that would be Carroll according to the most recent data.
If you want to know where the rest of Iowa's retirement gems are located, take a look at the list below. If you don't find what you are looking for there, head to the bottom.
For more Iowa state reading:
- Best Places To Live In Iowa
- Cheapest Places To Live In Iowa
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Iowa
- Best Places To Retire In America
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Iowa For 2023
/10
Population: 10,261
Rank Last Year: -
Median Rent: $639
Distance to Closest Airport: 72 miles
More on Carroll: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 12,509
Rank Last Year: -
Median Rent: $780
Distance to Closest Airport: 37 miles
More on Boone: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 15,688
Rank Last Year: 2 (Down 1)
Median Rent: $741
Distance to Closest Airport: 34 miles
More on Newton: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 24,651
Rank Last Year: 1 (Down 3)
Median Rent: $688
Distance to Closest Airport: 30 miles
More on Clinton: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 10,414
Rank Last Year: 3 (Down 2)
Median Rent: $888
Distance to Closest Airport: 39 miles
More on Pella: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 11,292
Rank Last Year: 5 (Down 1)
Median Rent: $709
Distance to Closest Airport: 134 miles
More on Spencer: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 11,552
Rank Last Year: 8 (Up 1)
Median Rent: $728
Distance to Closest Airport: 55 miles
More on Oskaloosa: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 10,340
Rank Last Year: 4 (Down 4)
Median Rent: $819
Distance to Closest Airport: 72 miles
More on Fort Madison: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 38,631
Rank Last Year: 7 (Down 2)
Median Rent: $977
Distance to Closest Airport: 8 miles
More on Bettendorf: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 12,592
Rank Last Year: 14 (Up 4)
Median Rent: $907
Distance to Closest Airport: 3 miles
More on Norwalk: Real Estate | Data | Photos
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Hawkeye State for 2023
To create our list of the best places in Iowa to retire, we first used Census data to find all places in the Hawkeye State -- 1002 cities and towns.
We then narrowed it down to places with at least 10,000 people that weren't townships. This left us with 38 places from across the state.
For these 38, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI's Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:
- Low cost of living as measured by rent
- Low crime
- Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
- Nice weather
- Distance to the closest international airport
- Other retirees (High median age)
We then ranked each of these places for each criteria from one to 38, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Carroll, with the lowest average rank was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second careers. You can download the data here.
Summary: Maybe You're Not Ready To Retire In Iowa Yet...
So there you have it, the best place to retire in Iowa goes to Carroll.
If you're not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley:
- Cedar Falls
- North Liberty
- Council Bluffs
For more Iowa reading, check out:
Where Are The Best Places To Retire In Iowa?
| Rank | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carroll | 10,261 |
| 2 | Boone | 12,509 |
| 3 | Newton | 15,688 |
| 4 | Clinton | 24,651 |
| 5 | Pella | 10,414 |
| 6 | Spencer | 11,292 |
| 7 | Oskaloosa | 11,552 |
| 8 | Fort Madison | 10,340 |
| 9 | Bettendorf | 38,631 |
| 10 | Norwalk | 12,592 |
