Is Dakota City, IA a Good Place to Live?
Dakota City is a small town of 966 in Iowa, with a median household income of $64,583 and a 7.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is 10% below the national average.
Strengths: Dakota City stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Dakota City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Dakota City 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: 89.8Dakota City's overall cost of living index is 89.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Dakota City costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Dakota City, IA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $112,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $874 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 78.5% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $64,583 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeDakota City's violent crime rate is 62.8 per 100,000 residents — 83% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Dakota City is served primarily by Humboldt Comm School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.8:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Dakota City, IA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Humboldt Comm School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 2 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 14.8:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 8.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 91.3% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Dakota City sees average highs of 25.8°F in January and 83.3°F in July, with 35.8 inches of annual precipitation and 39.0 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Dakota City, IA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 25.8°F |
| Average High — July | 83.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 39.0" |
Demographics
| Metric | Dakota City, IA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 966 | — |
| Median Age | 38.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.7% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 14.9 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 88.7% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.4% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 30.2% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 11.1% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Dakota City
Dakota City, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: