Charter Oak is a small town of 468 in Iowa, with a median household income of $56,625
and a 2.0% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 86 (US average = 100), which is
14% below the national average.
Strengths:
Charter Oak stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Charter Oak is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Charter Oak 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: 86.4
Charter Oak's overall cost of living index is 86.4,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Charter Oak costs roughly 14% less than the average American city.
Metric
Charter Oak, IA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$79,000
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$711
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
60.6%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$56,625
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Charter Oak's violent crime rate is 71.3 per 100,000 residents
— 81% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
71.3 /100k
Property Crime
404.3 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Charter Oak is served primarily by Charter Oak-Ute Comm School District.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.7:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Charter Oak, IA
National Avg
School District
Charter Oak-Ute Comm School District
—
Elementary Schools
1
—
Middle Schools
1
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
10.7:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
5.6%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
90.0%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Charter Oak sees average highs of 27.7°F in January
and 84.0°F in July,
with 32.6 inches of annual precipitation
and 31.1 inches of snow per year.
Charter Oak's cost of living index is 86, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Charter Oak roughly 14% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $79,000 and median rent is $711/month.
Charter Oak's violent crime rate is 71.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 404.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Charter Oak are operated by Charter Oak-Ute Comm School District.
The district has 1 elementary, 1 middle, and several high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.7:1. 5.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Charter Oak, IA has a population of 468, a median household income of $56,625, and an unemployment rate of 2.0%.
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.
Charter Oak averages 27.7°F in January and 84.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 32.6 inches
with about 31.1 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Charter Oak, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 51439.
The population of Charter Oak, Iowa is 468 with a median age of 53.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Charter Oak: cost of living index 86 (100 = US average), median home $79,000, median household income $56,625, crime index 19 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Charter Oak side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
