Badger is a small town of 519 in Iowa, with a median household income of $72,250
and a 4.3% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is
12% below the national average.
Strengths:
Badger stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Badger is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Badger city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 88.4
Badger's overall cost of living index is 88.4,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Badger costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.
Metric
Badger, IA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$118,200
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$709
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
79.1%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$72,250
$74,755
Crime & Safety
High Crime
Badger's violent crime rate is 841.1 per 100,000 residents
— 121% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
841.1 /100k
Property Crime
2442.6 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Badger, IA
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
20.9%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
95.0%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Badger sees average highs of 25.5°F in January
and 82.7°F in July,
with 36.5 inches of annual precipitation
and 39.0 inches of snow per year.
Badger's cost of living index is 88, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Badger roughly 12% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $118,200 and median rent is $709/month.
Badger's violent crime rate is 841.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2442.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Badger, IA has a population of 519, a median household income of $72,250, and an unemployment rate of 4.3%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Badger averages 25.5°F in January and 82.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 36.5 inches
with about 39.0 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Badger, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 50516.
The population of Badger, Iowa is 519 with a median age of 41.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Badger: cost of living index 88 (100 = US average), median home $118,200, median household income $72,250, crime index 179 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Badger side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
