What are the schools like in Laurens, IA?

Laurens is served primarily by Laurens-Marathon Comm School District. The district operates 1 elementary schools, several middle schools, and several high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 10.5:1.

What is the median household income in Laurens?

The median household income in Laurens, IA is $53,594 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 10.6%.

What is the weather like in Laurens, IA?

Laurens has an average high temperature of 25.3°F in January and 81.9°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 32.0 inches and annual snowfall averages 35.2 inches.

Laurens, IA Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Laurens, IA affordable or expensive?

Laurens's cost of living index is 86, where 100 represents the national average. This means Laurens is 14% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $73,100 and the median rent is $746 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Laurens, IA?

Laurens has a violent crime rate of 60.4 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 256.8 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Laurens, IA a Good Place to Live?

Laurens is a small town of 1,223 in Iowa, with a median household income of $53,594 and a 10.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 86 (US average = 100), which is 14% below the national average.

Strengths: Laurens stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Laurens is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Laurens 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: 86.4

Laurens's overall cost of living index is 86.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Laurens costs roughly 14% less than the average American city.

Metric	Laurens, IA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$73,100	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$746	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	81.2%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$53,594	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Laurens's violent crime rate is 60.4 per 100,000 residents — 84% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

60.4 /100k

Property Crime

256.8 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Laurens is served primarily by Laurens-Marathon Comm School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.5:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Laurens, IA	National Avg
School District	Laurens-Marathon Comm School District	—
Elementary Schools	1	—
Middle Schools	N/A	—
High Schools	N/A	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	10.5:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	11.8%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	88.2%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Laurens sees average highs of 25.3°F in January and 81.9°F in July, with 32.0 inches of annual precipitation and 35.2 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Laurens, IA
Average High — January	25.3°F
Average High — July	81.9°F
Annual Precipitation	32.0"
Annual Snowfall	35.2"

Demographics

Metric	Laurens, IA	National Avg
Population	1,223	—
Median Age	50.6	38.9
Unemployment Rate	10.6%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	21.0 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	97.1%	59.3%
Black or African American	0.0%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	1.7%	18.9%
Asian	0.5%	6.3%
Under 18	17.6%	22.2%
65 and over	25.3%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Albert City, IA 7 mi Marathon, IA 7 mi Havelock, IA 8 mi Mallard, IA 10 mi Curlew, IA 11 mi

ZIP Codes in Laurens

Laurens, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

50554

Laurens vs Other Cities

Laurens, IA vs Albert City, IA Laurens, IA vs Marathon, IA Laurens, IA vs Havelock, IA Laurens, IA vs Mallard, IA Laurens, IA vs Curlew, IA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Laurens, IA affordable or expensive?

Laurens's cost of living index is 86, where 100 is the national average. That makes Laurens roughly 14% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $73,100 and median rent is $746/month.

What is the crime rate in Laurens, IA?

Laurens's violent crime rate is 60.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 256.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Laurens?

Public schools in Laurens are operated by Laurens-Marathon Comm School District. The district has 1 elementary, several middle, and several high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.5:1. 11.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Laurens, IA a good place to live?

Laurens, IA has a population of 1,223, a median household income of $53,594, and an unemployment rate of 10.6%. 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.

What is the weather like in Laurens?

Laurens averages 25.3°F in January and 81.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 32.0 inches with about 35.2 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Laurens?

Laurens, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 50554.

What is the population of Laurens?

The population of Laurens, Iowa is 1,223 with a median age of 50.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Laurens?

Key numbers for living in Laurens: cost of living index 86 (100 = US average), median home $73,100, median household income $53,594, crime index 14 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Laurens side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.