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West Branch, IA

Full City Profile · Iowa · Johnson County County

3.5 /5.0
B+ Good
2,526 Population 983/sq mi density
$87,891 Median Income $35,101 per capita
$226,700 Home Value $289,094 Zillow
$958 Median Rent 22.5% income on rent
49°F Avg Temperature 275 sunny days/yr
134 Violent Crime/100K 886 property/100K
B+
Overall
3.5 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A+
Economy
4.6 / 5.0
$87,891 median income, 0.3% unemployment
A+
Affordability
5.0 / 5.0
$226,700 home value, $958/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
134 violent crimes/100K
B
Education
3.3 / 5.0
28.7% bachelor's degree or higher

West Branch, IA

At a Glance

Median Income
$87,891
17% above
$35,101 per capita
Home Value
$226,700
20% below
Zillow: $289,094
Median Rent
$958/mo
18% below
22.5% of income on rent
Violent Crime
134/100K
65% below
886/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
28.7%
15% below
96.1% high school+
Unemployment
0.3%
92% below
9.0% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
39.3%
22% above
14.2% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
49°F
275 sunny days/yr

How West Branch Compares to the U.S. Average

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

Income
117%
Home Value
80%
Rent
82%
Poverty
73%
Bachelor's
85%
Unemployment
8%
Crime
35%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is West Branch a Good Place to Live?

B+
3.5 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

West Branch residents earn a median household income of $87,891 , which is 17% above the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $35,101. The unemployment rate stands at 0.3% (92% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 9.0% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 5,140 business establishments, including 448 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in West Branch is $226,700 , 20% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $289,094. Median rent is $958/month, with 22.5% 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 1988.

Safety & Crime

West Branch reports 134 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 65% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 886/100K.

Education

28.7% of adults in West Branch hold a bachelor's degree or higher (15% below the national average). 96.1% have completed high school. Local schools score 6.2/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

West Branch has an average annual temperature of 49°F (10°C). Winters average 20°F in January while summers reach 74°F in July. The area gets 275 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 36.5 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 43.

Data Overview

People

Population2,526
Median Age34.7 yrs
Density983/mi²
Male / Female52% / 48%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans7.1%

Economy

A+
Median Income$87,891
Per Capita$35,101
Unemployment0.3%
Poverty9.0%
County GDP$12,640M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,238

Housing

A+
Home Value$226,700
Rent$958
Ownership78.8%
Zillow$289,094
Housing Units1,066
Rent Burden22.5%

Crime

F
Violent134/100K
Property886/100K

Health

Obesity39.3%
Diabetes8.7%
Smoking14.2%
Heart Disease4.8%
Premature Death4,821/100K

Climate

Avg Temp49°F
Sunny Days275/yr
Rain36.5 in/yr
AQI43 (Good)
Elevation740 ft

Education

B
Bachelor's+28.7%
High School+96.1%
Graduate+6.3%
School Score6.2/10

Community

2024 VoteR 30% / D 68%
Commute23 min
Broadband90.2%
Internet Speed108 Mbps
EV Stations3
Libraries8

Did You Know?

The median home in West Branch was built in 1988.
The nearest airport is The Eastern Iowa (24 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.495 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA.
9.7% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
Average internet download speed is 108 Mbps.
There are 448 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 5 fatal vehicle crashes.