Guernsey is a small town of 61 in Iowa, with a median household income of $63,750
.
Its cost of living index is 86 (US average = 100), which is
14% below the national average.
Strengths:
Guernsey stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include longer commutes. Whether Guernsey is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Guernsey 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: 85.7
Guernsey's overall cost of living index is 85.7,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Guernsey costs roughly 14% less than the average American city.
Metric
Guernsey, IA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$63,800
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$744
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
78.1%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$63,750
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Guernsey's violent crime rate is 135.1 per 100,000 residents
— 64% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
135.1 /100k
Property Crime
989.0 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Guernsey, 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
0.0%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
75.6%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Guernsey sees average highs of 28.1°F in January
and 83.6°F in July,
with 37.7 inches of annual precipitation
and 29.8 inches of snow per year.
Guernsey's cost of living index is 86, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Guernsey roughly 14% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $63,800 and median rent is $744/month.
Guernsey's violent crime rate is 135.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 989.0 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.
Guernsey, IA has a population of 61, a median household income of $63,750, 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.
Guernsey averages 28.1°F in January and 83.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 37.7 inches
with about 29.8 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Guernsey, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 52221.
The population of Guernsey, Iowa is 61 with a median age of 49.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Guernsey: cost of living index 86 (100 = US average), median home $63,800, median household income $63,750, crime index 40 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Guernsey side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.