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Council Bluffs, IA

Full City Profile · Iowa · Pottawattamie County County

3.2 /5.0
B Good
62,564 Population 1,456/sq mi density
$64,092 Median Income $34,252 per capita
$164,300 Home Value $218,060 Zillow
$980 Median Rent 27.8% income on rent
52°F Avg Temperature 275 sunny days/yr
790 Violent Crime/100K 5,845 property/100K
B
Overall
3.2 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A
Economy
4.0 / 5.0
$64,092 median income, 2.7% unemployment
A+
Affordability
5.0 / 5.0
$164,300 home value, $980/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
790 violent crimes/100K (108% above avg)
C+
Education
2.7 / 5.0
21.7% bachelor's degree or higher

Council Bluffs, IA

At a Glance

Median Income
$64,092
15% below
$34,252 per capita
Home Value
$164,300
42% below
Zillow: $218,060
Median Rent
$980/mo
16% below
27.8% of income on rent
Violent Crime
790/100K
108% above
5,845/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
21.7%
36% below
89.1% high school+
Unemployment
2.7%
25% below
8.7% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
40.2%
25% above
18.9% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
52°F
275 sunny days/yr

How Council Bluffs Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Council Bluffs's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
85%
Home Value
58%
Rent
84%
Poverty
70%
Bachelor's
64%
Unemployment
75%
Crime
208%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Council Bluffs a Good Place to Live?

B
3.2 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Council Bluffs residents earn a median household income of $64,092 , which is 15% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $34,252. The unemployment rate stands at 2.7% (25% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 8.7% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 2,746 business establishments, including 209 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Council Bluffs is $164,300 , 42% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $218,060. Median rent is $980/month, with 27.8% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 87.8 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1964.

Safety & Crime

Council Bluffs reports 790 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 108% above the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 5,845/100K. The murder rate is 9.6/100K.

Education

21.7% of adults in Council Bluffs hold a bachelor's degree or higher (36% below the national average). 89.1% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.2/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Council Bluffs has an average annual temperature of 52°F (11°C). Winters average 24°F in January while summers reach 78°F in July. The area gets 275 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 31.9 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 43.

Data Overview

People

Population62,564
Median Age39.0 yrs
Density1,456/mi²
Male / Female49% / 51%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans8.6%

Economy

A
Median Income$64,092
Per Capita$34,252
Unemployment2.7%
Poverty8.7%
County GDP$6,263M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,085

Housing

A+
Home Value$164,300
Rent$980
Ownership64.1%
Zillow$218,060
Housing Units27,338
Rent Burden27.8%

Crime

F
Violent790/100K
Property5,845/100K
Murder9.6/100K
Assault626/100K
Burglary847/100K

Health

Obesity40.2%
Diabetes10.4%
Smoking18.9%
Heart Disease5.9%
Premature Death9,293/100K

Climate

Avg Temp52°F
Sunny Days275/yr
Rain31.9 in/yr
AQI43 (Good)
Elevation984 ft

Education

C+
Bachelor's+21.7%
High School+89.1%
Graduate+7.0%
School Score5.2/10

Community

2024 VoteR 59% / D 39%
Commute19 min
Broadband82.5%
Internet Speed88 Mbps
EV Stations9
Libraries5

Did You Know?

Council Bluffs was founded in 1854.
The median home in Council Bluffs was built in 1964.
The nearest airport is Eppley Airfield (5 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.430 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA.
16.7% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
There are 209 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 10 fatal vehicle crashes.
91 declared natural disasters on record.