Larchwood is a small town of 993 in Iowa, with a median household income of $62,955
and a 0.5% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 92 (US average = 100), which is
8% below the national average.
Strengths:
Larchwood stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Larchwood is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Larchwood 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: 91.5
Larchwood's overall cost of living index is 91.5,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Larchwood costs roughly 8% less than the average American city.
Metric
Larchwood, IA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$181,600
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$807
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
80.1%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$62,955
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Larchwood's violent crime rate is 127.6 per 100,000 residents
— 66% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
127.6 /100k
Property Crime
561.5 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Larchwood, 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
24.7%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
92.1%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Larchwood sees average highs of 25.3°F in January
and 83.3°F in July,
with 27.8 inches of annual precipitation
and 36.1 inches of snow per year.
Larchwood's cost of living index is 92, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Larchwood roughly 8% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $181,600 and median rent is $807/month.
Larchwood's violent crime rate is 127.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 561.5 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.
Larchwood, IA has a population of 993, a median household income of $62,955, and an unemployment rate of 0.5%.
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.
Larchwood averages 25.3°F in January and 83.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 27.8 inches
with about 36.1 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Larchwood, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 51241.
The population of Larchwood, Iowa is 993 with a median age of 39.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Larchwood: cost of living index 92 (100 = US average), median home $181,600, median household income $62,955, crime index 31 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Larchwood side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
