Median Income
$75,875
household / year
Median Home Value
$106,500
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$675
gross / month
Cost of Living
93
national avg = 100

Is Menlo, IA a Good Place to Live?

Menlo is a small town of 407 in Iowa, with a median household income of $75,875 and a 9.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.

Strengths: Menlo 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 Menlo is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Menlo 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: 92.7

Menlo's overall cost of living index is 92.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Menlo costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.

Metric Menlo, IA National Avg
Median Home Value $106,500 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $675 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 91.3% 65.9%
Median Household Income $75,875 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Crime data for Menlo is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.

Schools & Education

Metric Menlo, 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 10.8% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 92.7% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Menlo sees average highs of 29.7°F in January and 85.1°F in July, with 37.1 inches of annual precipitation and 25.5 inches of snow per year.

MetricMenlo, IA
Average High — January29.7°F
Average High — July85.1°F
Annual Precipitation37.1"
Annual Snowfall25.5"

Demographics

MetricMenlo, IANational Avg
Population407—
Median Age43.038.9
Unemployment Rate9.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time24.4 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)90.7%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino2.2%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1821.6%22.2%
65 and over12.8%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Stuart, IA 5 mi Casey, IA 6 mi Diamondhead Lake, IA 8 mi Dexter, IA 9 mi Linden, IA 11 mi

ZIP Codes in Menlo

Menlo, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

50164

Menlo vs Other Cities

Menlo, IA vs Stuart, IA Menlo, IA vs Casey, IA Menlo, IA vs Diamondhead Lake, IA Menlo, IA vs Dexter, IA Menlo, IA vs Linden, IA

Frequently Asked Questions

Menlo's cost of living index is 93, where 100 is the national average. That makes Menlo roughly 7% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $106,500 and median rent is $675/month.
Crime data for Menlo is not available in the current FBI UCR reporting year. Not all jurisdictions submit data annually.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Menlo, IA has a population of 407, a median household income of $75,875, and an unemployment rate of 9.8%. 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.
Menlo averages 29.7°F in January and 85.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 37.1 inches with about 25.5 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Menlo, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 50164.
The population of Menlo, Iowa is 407 with a median age of 43.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Menlo: cost of living index 93 (100 = US average), median home $106,500, median household income $75,875. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Menlo side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.