La Motte is a small town of 267 in Iowa, with a median household income of $78,750
and a 2.6% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is
10% below the national average.
Strengths:
La Motte 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 La Motte is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All La Motte 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: 89.6
La Motte's overall cost of living index is 89.6,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in La Motte costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
Metric
La Motte, IA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$131,300
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$775
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
89.8%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$78,750
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
La Motte's violent crime rate is 149.2 per 100,000 residents
— 61% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
149.2 /100k
Property Crime
1070.0 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
La Motte, 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
12.1%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
89.1%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
La Motte sees average highs of 26.5°F in January
and 81.5°F in July,
with 38.2 inches of annual precipitation
and 42.5 inches of snow per year.
La Motte's cost of living index is 90, where 100 is the national average.
That makes La Motte roughly 10% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $131,300 and median rent is $775/month.
La Motte's violent crime rate is 149.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1070.0 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.
La Motte, IA has a population of 267, a median household income of $78,750, 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.
La Motte averages 26.5°F in January and 81.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 38.2 inches
with about 42.5 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
La Motte, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 52054.
The population of La Motte, Iowa is 267 with a median age of 47.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in La Motte: cost of living index 90 (100 = US average), median home $131,300, median household income $78,750, crime index 44 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare La Motte side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
