Montrose iowa · Billwhittaker at English Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0Lee ft dm rapids 1837 · Robert E. Lee, assisted by MC Miegs, IS Morehead,, H. Kaysee / Public domain
Montrose is a small town of 706 in Iowa, with a median household income of $67,000
and a 2.6% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 86 (US average = 100), which is
14% below the national average.
Strengths:
Montrose 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 Montrose is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Montrose 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: 86.5
Montrose's overall cost of living index is 86.5,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Montrose costs roughly 14% less than the average American city.
Metric
Montrose, IA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$98,000
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$632
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
89.3%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$67,000
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Montrose's violent crime rate is 261.5 per 100,000 residents
— 31% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
261.5 /100k
Property Crime
1206.3 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Montrose, 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
11.3%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
95.3%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Montrose sees average highs of 32.8°F in January
and 85.1°F in July,
with 39.4 inches of annual precipitation
and 18.1 inches of snow per year.
Montrose's cost of living index is 86, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Montrose roughly 14% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $98,000 and median rent is $632/month.
Montrose's violent crime rate is 261.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1206.3 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.
Montrose, IA has a population of 706, a median household income of $67,000, 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.
Montrose averages 32.8°F in January and 85.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 39.4 inches
with about 18.1 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Montrose, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 52639.
The population of Montrose, Iowa is 706 with a median age of 51.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Montrose: cost of living index 86 (100 = US average), median home $98,000, median household income $67,000, crime index 64 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Montrose side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
