Castalia is a small town of 140 in Iowa, with a median household income of $39,375
.
Its cost of living index is 87 (US average = 100), which is
13% below the national average.
Strengths:
Castalia stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Castalia is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Castalia 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: 87.4
Castalia's overall cost of living index is 87.4,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Castalia costs roughly 13% less than the average American city.
Metric
Castalia, IA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$92,100
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$731
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
90.7%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$39,375
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Castalia's violent crime rate is 130.1 per 100,000 residents
— 66% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
130.1 /100k
Property Crime
165.1 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Castalia, 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
2.4%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
87.0%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Castalia sees average highs of 25.7°F in January
and 82.8°F in July,
with 38.9 inches of annual precipitation
and 39.8 inches of snow per year.
Castalia's cost of living index is 87, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Castalia roughly 13% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $92,100 and median rent is $731/month.
Castalia's violent crime rate is 130.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 165.1 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.
Castalia, IA has a population of 140, a median household income of $39,375, and an unemployment rate of 0.0%.
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.
Castalia averages 25.7°F in January and 82.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 38.9 inches
with about 39.8 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Castalia, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 52133.
The population of Castalia, Iowa is 140 with a median age of 59.4. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Castalia: cost of living index 87 (100 = US average), median home $92,100, median household income $39,375, crime index 24 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Castalia side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
