Garber is a small town of 172 in Iowa, with a median household income of $47,159
and a 7.4% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 82 (US average = 100), which is
18% below the national average.
Strengths:
Garber stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Garber is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Garber 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: 81.7
Garber's overall cost of living index is 81.7,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Garber costs roughly 18% less than the average American city.
Metric
Garber, IA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$68,900
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$430
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
73.8%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$47,159
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Garber's violent crime rate is 62.7 per 100,000 residents
— 84% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
62.7 /100k
Property Crime
159.6 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Garber, 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
2.2%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
73.0%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Garber sees average highs of 27.9°F in January
and 83.8°F in July,
with 37.3 inches of annual precipitation
and 34.4 inches of snow per year.
Garber's cost of living index is 82, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Garber roughly 18% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $68,900 and median rent is $430/month.
Garber's violent crime rate is 62.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 159.6 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.
Garber, IA has a population of 172, a median household income of $47,159, and an unemployment rate of 7.4%.
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.
Garber averages 27.9°F in January and 83.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 37.3 inches
with about 34.4 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Garber, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 52048.
The population of Garber, Iowa is 172 with a median age of 31.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Garber: cost of living index 82 (100 = US average), median home $68,900, median household income $47,159, crime index 13 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Garber side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
