Cylinder is a small town of 87 in Iowa, with a median household income of $59,000
.
Its cost of living index is 86 (US average = 100), which is
14% below the national average.
Strengths:
Cylinder 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 Cylinder is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Cylinder 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: 86.2
Cylinder's overall cost of living index is 86.2,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Cylinder costs roughly 14% less than the average American city.
Metric
Cylinder, IA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$73,800
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$725
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
65.8%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$59,000
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Cylinder's violent crime rate is 281.3 per 100,000 residents
— 26% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
281.3 /100k
Property Crime
382.6 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Cylinder, 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
31.0%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
96.6%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Cylinder sees average highs of 26.2°F in January
and 84.8°F in July,
with 33.6 inches of annual precipitation
and 37.1 inches of snow per year.
Cylinder's cost of living index is 86, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Cylinder roughly 14% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $73,800 and median rent is $725/month.
Cylinder's violent crime rate is 281.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 382.6 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.
Cylinder, IA has a population of 87, a median household income of $59,000, 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.
Cylinder averages 26.2°F in January and 84.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 33.6 inches
with about 37.1 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Cylinder, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 50528.
The population of Cylinder, Iowa is 87 with a median age of 38.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Cylinder: cost of living index 86 (100 = US average), median home $73,800, median household income $59,000, crime index 52 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Cylinder side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.