Charlotte Iowa · Tjburken / CC BY-SA 4.0Assumption Church - Charlotte, Iowa · Farragutful / CC BY-SA 4.0CharlotteIowaPopPlot · PopePompus / CC BY-SA 4.0
Charlotte is a small town of 419 in Iowa, with a median household income of $61,786
and a 5.1% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is
12% below the national average.
Strengths:
Charlotte stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Charlotte is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Charlotte 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: 87.7
Charlotte's overall cost of living index is 87.7,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Charlotte costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.
Metric
Charlotte, IA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$99,400
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$725
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
78.9%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$61,786
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Charlotte's violent crime rate is 301.5 per 100,000 residents
— 21% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
301.5 /100k
Property Crime
1820.0 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Charlotte, 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
16.3%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
92.4%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Charlotte sees average highs of 26.7°F in January
and 82.2°F in July,
with 39.0 inches of annual precipitation
and 28.7 inches of snow per year.
Charlotte's cost of living index is 88, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Charlotte roughly 12% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $99,400 and median rent is $725/month.
Charlotte's violent crime rate is 301.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1820.0 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.
Charlotte, IA has a population of 419, a median household income of $61,786, and an unemployment rate of 5.1%.
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.
Charlotte averages 26.7°F in January and 82.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 39.0 inches
with about 28.7 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Charlotte, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 52731.
The population of Charlotte, Iowa is 419 with a median age of 34.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Charlotte: cost of living index 88 (100 = US average), median home $99,400, median household income $61,786, crime index 82 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Charlotte side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
