Harper is a small town of 124 in Iowa, with a median household income of $70,000
and a 11.1% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 92 (US average = 100), which is
8% below the national average.
Strengths:
Harper stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Harper is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Harper 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: 92.2
Harper's overall cost of living index is 92.2,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Harper costs roughly 8% less than the average American city.
Metric
Harper, IA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$89,000
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$1,375
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
90.6%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$70,000
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Harper's violent crime rate is 146.4 per 100,000 residents
— 61% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
146.4 /100k
Property Crime
605.1 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Harper, 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
19.3%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
86.0%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Harper sees average highs of 29.8°F in January
and 84.6°F in July,
with 37.4 inches of annual precipitation
and 34.1 inches of snow per year.
Harper's cost of living index is 92, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Harper roughly 8% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $89,000 and median rent is $1,375/month.
Harper's violent crime rate is 146.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 605.1 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.
Harper, IA has a population of 124, a median household income of $70,000, and an unemployment rate of 11.1%.
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.
Harper averages 29.8°F in January and 84.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 37.4 inches
with about 34.1 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Harper, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 52231.
The population of Harper, Iowa is 124 with a median age of 22.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Harper: cost of living index 92 (100 = US average), median home $89,000, median household income $70,000, crime index 35 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Harper side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
