Garrison is a small town of 328 in Iowa, with a median household income of $49,844
and a 2.6% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is
10% below the national average.
Strengths:
Garrison 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 Garrison is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Garrison 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
Garrison's overall cost of living index is 90.0,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Garrison costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
Metric
Garrison, IA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$59,500
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$820
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
76.8%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$49,844
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Garrison's violent crime rate is 183.3 per 100,000 residents
— 52% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
183.3 /100k
Property Crime
464.0 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Garrison, 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
7.9%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
89.9%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Garrison sees average highs of 25.6°F in January
and 81.4°F in July,
with 37.9 inches of annual precipitation
and 33.6 inches of snow per year.
Garrison's cost of living index is 90, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Garrison roughly 10% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $59,500 and median rent is $820/month.
Garrison's violent crime rate is 183.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 464.0 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.
Garrison, IA has a population of 328, a median household income of $49,844, and an unemployment rate of 2.6%.
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.
Garrison averages 25.6°F in January and 81.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 37.9 inches
with about 33.6 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Garrison, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 52229.
The population of Garrison, Iowa is 328 with a median age of 37.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Garrison: cost of living index 90 (100 = US average), median home $59,500, median household income $49,844, crime index 38 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Garrison side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.