What are the schools like in Garner, IA?

Garner is served primarily by Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Comm School District. The district operates 1 elementary schools, 1 middle schools, and 1 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 15.2:1.

What is the median household income in Garner?

The median household income in Garner, IA is $69,056 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 1.8%.

What is the weather like in Garner, IA?

Garner has an average high temperature of 23.7°F in January and 82.4°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 34.3 inches and annual snowfall averages 44.4 inches.

Garner, IA Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Garner, IA affordable or expensive?

Garner's cost of living index is 90, where 100 represents the national average. This means Garner is 10% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $155,400 and the median rent is $735 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Garner, IA?

Garner has a violent crime rate of 131.7 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 404.5 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Garner, IA a Good Place to Live?

Garner is a small town of 3,065 in Iowa, with a median household income of $69,056 and a 1.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is 10% below the national average.

Strengths: Garner 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 Garner is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Garner 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: 90.0

Garner's overall cost of living index is 90.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Garner costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.

Metric	Garner, IA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$155,400	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$735	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	77.2%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$69,056	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Garner's violent crime rate is 131.7 per 100,000 residents — 65% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

131.7 /100k

Property Crime

404.5 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Garner is served primarily by Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Comm School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.2:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Garner, IA	National Avg
School District	Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Comm School District	—
Elementary Schools	1	—
Middle Schools	1	—
High Schools	1	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	15.2:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	23.1%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	90.4%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Garner sees average highs of 23.7°F in January and 82.4°F in July, with 34.3 inches of annual precipitation and 44.4 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Garner, IA
Average High — January	23.7°F
Average High — July	82.4°F
Annual Precipitation	34.3"
Annual Snowfall	44.4"

Demographics

Metric	Garner, IA	National Avg
Population	3,065	—
Median Age	46.3	38.9
Unemployment Rate	1.8%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	15.5 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	95.0%	59.3%
Black or African American	2.6%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	1.4%	18.9%
Asian	0.0%	6.3%
Under 18	19.4%	22.2%
65 and over	29.9%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Duncan, IA 5 mi Miller, IA 6 mi Klemme, IA 6 mi Hayfield, IA 7 mi Ventura, IA 7 mi

ZIP Codes in Garner

Garner, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

50438

Garner vs Other Cities

Garner, IA vs Duncan, IA Garner, IA vs Miller, IA Garner, IA vs Klemme, IA Garner, IA vs Hayfield, IA Garner, IA vs Ventura, IA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Garner, IA affordable or expensive?

Garner's cost of living index is 90, where 100 is the national average. That makes Garner roughly 10% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $155,400 and median rent is $735/month.

What is the crime rate in Garner, IA?

Garner's violent crime rate is 131.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 404.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Garner?

Public schools in Garner are operated by Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Comm School District. The district has 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.2:1. 23.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Garner, IA a good place to live?

Garner, IA has a population of 3,065, a median household income of $69,056, and an unemployment rate of 1.8%. 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.

What is the weather like in Garner?

Garner averages 23.7°F in January and 82.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 34.3 inches with about 44.4 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Garner?

Garner, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 50438.

What is the population of Garner?

The population of Garner, Iowa is 3,065 with a median age of 46.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Garner?

Key numbers for living in Garner: cost of living index 90 (100 = US average), median home $155,400, median household income $69,056, crime index 28 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Garner side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.