Belle Plaine is a small town of 2,421 in Iowa, with a median household income of $65,500
and a 2.2% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is
10% below the national average.
Strengths:
Belle Plaine stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Belle Plaine is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Belle Plaine 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: 90.0
Belle Plaine's overall cost of living index is 90.0,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Belle Plaine costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
Metric
Belle Plaine, IA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$109,000
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$678
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
82.5%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$65,500
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Belle Plaine's violent crime rate is 384.0 per 100,000 residents
— 1% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
384.0 /100k
Property Crime
1578.5 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Belle Plaine is served primarily by Belle Plaine Comm School District.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.4:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Belle Plaine, IA
National Avg
School District
Belle Plaine Comm School District
—
Elementary Schools
1
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.4:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
14.9%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
93.4%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Belle Plaine sees average highs of 28.1°F in January
and 83.6°F in July,
with 36.0 inches of annual precipitation
and 27.9 inches of snow per year.
Belle Plaine's cost of living index is 90, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Belle Plaine roughly 10% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $109,000 and median rent is $678/month.
Belle Plaine's violent crime rate is 384.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1578.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Belle Plaine are operated by Belle Plaine Comm School District.
The district has 1 elementary, several middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.4:1. 14.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Belle Plaine, IA has a population of 2,421, a median household income of $65,500, and an unemployment rate of 2.2%.
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.
Belle Plaine averages 28.1°F in January and 83.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 36.0 inches
with about 27.9 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Belle Plaine, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 52208.
The population of Belle Plaine, Iowa is 2,421 with a median age of 44.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Belle Plaine: cost of living index 90 (100 = US average), median home $109,000, median household income $65,500, crime index 91 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Belle Plaine side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
