Below Average CostVery SafeBenton Comm School District
Median Income
$90,000
household / year
Median Home Value
$148,000
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$713
gross / month
Cost of Living
90
national avg = 100
Is Norway, IA a Good Place to Live?
Norway is a small town of 516 in Iowa, with a median household income of $90,000
and a 0.6% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is
10% below the national average.
Strengths:
Norway stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Norway is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Norway 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: 90.0
Norway's overall cost of living index is 90.0,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Norway costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
Metric
Norway, IA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$148,000
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$713
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
89.0%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$90,000
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Norway's violent crime rate is 183.3 per 100,000 residents
— 52% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
183.3 /100k
Property Crime
464.0 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Norway is served primarily by Benton Comm School District.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.6:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Norway, IA
National Avg
School District
Benton Comm School District
—
Elementary Schools
2
—
Middle Schools
2
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.6:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
12.9%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
96.6%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Norway sees average highs of 27.9°F in January
and 82.8°F in July,
with 34.6 inches of annual precipitation
and 27.2 inches of snow per year.
Norway's cost of living index is 90, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Norway roughly 10% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $148,000 and median rent is $713/month.
Norway's violent crime rate is 183.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 464.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Norway are operated by Benton Comm School District.
The district has 2 elementary, 2 middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.6:1. 12.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Norway, IA has a population of 516, a median household income of $90,000, 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.
Norway averages 27.9°F in January and 82.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 34.6 inches
with about 27.2 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Norway, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 52318.
The population of Norway, Iowa is 516 with a median age of 48.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Norway: cost of living index 90 (100 = US average), median home $148,000, median household income $90,000, crime index 38 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Norway side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.