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Palo, IA

Full City Profile · Iowa · Linn County County

3.6 /5.0
B+ Good
1,173 Population 978/sq mi density
$103,646 Median Income $41,216 per capita
$274,200 Home Value $328,832 Zillow
$1,063 Median Rent 23.8% income on rent
50°F Avg Temperature 260 sunny days/yr
70 Violent Crime/100K 2,285 property/100K
B+
Overall
3.6 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A+
Economy
5.0 / 5.0
$103,646 median income, 1.9% unemployment
A+
Affordability
5.0 / 5.0
$274,200 home value, $1,063/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
70 violent crimes/100K
B
Education
3.2 / 5.0
27.5% bachelor's degree or higher

Palo, IA

At a Glance

Median Income
$103,646
38% above
$41,216 per capita
Home Value
$274,200
3% below
Zillow: $328,832
Median Rent
$1,063/mo
9% below
23.8% of income on rent
Violent Crime
70/100K
82% below
2,285/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
27.5%
18% below
98.6% high school+
Unemployment
1.9%
47% below
0.9% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
32.6%
2% above
11.7% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
50°F
260 sunny days/yr

How Palo Compares to the U.S. Average

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

Income
138%
Home Value
97%
Rent
91%
Poverty
7%
Bachelor's
82%
Unemployment
53%
Crime
18%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Palo a Good Place to Live?

B+
3.6 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Palo residents earn a median household income of $103,646 , which is 38% above the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $41,216. The unemployment rate stands at 1.9% (47% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 0.9% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 7,760 business establishments, including 543 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Palo is $274,200 , 3% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $328,832. Median rent is $1,063/month, with 23.8% 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 2004.

Safety & Crime

Palo reports 70 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 82% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 2,285/100K.

Education

27.5% of adults in Palo hold a bachelor's degree or higher (18% below the national average). 98.6% have completed high school. Local schools score 6.0/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Palo has an average annual temperature of 50°F (10°C). Winters average 21°F in January while summers reach 74°F in July. The area gets 260 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 38.8 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 43.

Data Overview

People

Population1,173
Median Age32.7 yrs
Density978/mi²
Male / Female53% / 48%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans5.8%

Economy

A+
Median Income$103,646
Per Capita$41,216
Unemployment1.9%
Poverty0.9%
County GDP$21,899M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,300

Housing

A+
Home Value$274,200
Rent$1,063
Ownership95.3%
Zillow$328,832
Housing Units430
Rent Burden23.8%

Crime

F
Violent70/100K
Property2,285/100K

Health

Obesity32.6%
Diabetes8.1%
Smoking11.7%
Heart Disease4.6%
Premature Death7,001/100K

Climate

Avg Temp50°F
Sunny Days260/yr
Rain38.8 in/yr
AQI43 (Good)
Elevation744 ft

Education

B
Bachelor's+27.5%
High School+98.6%
Graduate+6.4%
School Score6.0/10

Community

2024 VoteR 44% / D 54%
Commute27 min
Broadband96.3%
Internet Speed127 Mbps
EV Stations3
Libraries12

Did You Know?

Palo was founded in 1854.
The median home in Palo was built in 2004.
The nearest airport is The Eastern Iowa (12 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.446 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA.
7.6% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
Average internet download speed is 127 Mbps.
There are 543 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 14 fatal vehicle crashes.