Median Income
$69,167
household / year
Median Home Value
$162,200
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$934
gross / month
Cost of Living
92
national avg = 100

Is Neola, IA a Good Place to Live?

Neola is a small town of 1,125 in Iowa, with a median household income of $69,167 and a 0.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 92 (US average = 100), which is 8% below the national average.

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

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Neola is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Neola 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: 92.5

Neola's overall cost of living index is 92.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Neola costs roughly 8% less than the average American city.

Metric Neola, IA National Avg
Median Home Value $162,200 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $934 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 70.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income $69,167 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Neola's violent crime rate is 395.9 per 100,000 residents — 4% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
395.9 /100k
Property Crime
2012.7 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Neola is served primarily by Tri-Center Comm School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Neola, IA National Avg
School District Tri-Center Comm School District —
Elementary Schools 1 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 13.1:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.2% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 97.4% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Neola sees average highs of 30.7°F in January and 85.6°F in July, with 34.1 inches of annual precipitation and 27.3 inches of snow per year.

MetricNeola, IA
Average High — January30.7°F
Average High — July85.6°F
Annual Precipitation34.1"
Annual Snowfall27.3"

Demographics

MetricNeola, IANational Avg
Population1,125—
Median Age33.638.9
Unemployment Rate0.6%3.7%
Avg Commute Time28.9 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)96.4%59.3%
Black or African American0.7%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino2.3%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1837.2%22.2%
65 and over12.7%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Minden, IA 4 mi Bentley, IA 5 mi Underwood, IA 6 mi McClelland, IA 9 mi Persia, IA 9 mi

Neola vs Other Cities

Neola, IA vs Minden, IA Neola, IA vs Bentley, IA Neola, IA vs Underwood, IA Neola, IA vs McClelland, IA Neola, IA vs Persia, IA

Frequently Asked Questions

Neola's cost of living index is 92, where 100 is the national average. That makes Neola roughly 8% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $162,200 and median rent is $934/month.
Neola's violent crime rate is 395.9 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2012.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Neola are operated by Tri-Center Comm School District. The district has 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.1:1. 16.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Neola, IA has a population of 1,125, a median household income of $69,167, and an unemployment rate of 0.6%. 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.
Neola averages 30.7°F in January and 85.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 34.1 inches with about 27.3 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Neola, Iowa is 1,125 with a median age of 33.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Neola: cost of living index 92 (100 = US average), median home $162,200, median household income $69,167, crime index 101 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Neola side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.