What are the schools like in Osage, IA?

Osage is served primarily by Osage Comm School District. The district operates 1 elementary schools, 1 middle schools, and 1 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 14.3:1.

What is the median household income in Osage?

The median household income in Osage, IA is $56,667 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 1.2%.

What is the weather like in Osage, IA?

Osage has an average high temperature of 23.2°F in January and 81.4°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 37.6 inches and annual snowfall averages 39.6 inches.

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

Q: Is Osage, IA affordable or expensive?

Osage's cost of living index is 88, where 100 represents the national average. This means Osage is 12% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $131,700 and the median rent is $673 per month.

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

Osage has a violent crime rate of 114.1 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 627.7 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Osage, IA a Good Place to Live?

Osage is a small town of 3,590 in Iowa, with a median household income of $56,667 and a 1.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is 12% below the national average.

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

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

All Osage 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: 88.5

Osage's overall cost of living index is 88.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Osage costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.

Metric	Osage, IA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$131,700	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$673	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	78.1%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$56,667	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Osage's violent crime rate is 114.1 per 100,000 residents — 70% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

114.1 /100k

Property Crime

627.7 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Osage is served primarily by Osage Comm School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.3:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Osage, IA	National Avg
School District	Osage Comm School District	—
Elementary Schools	1	—
Middle Schools	1	—
High Schools	1	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	14.3:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	20.8%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	94.2%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Osage sees average highs of 23.2°F in January and 81.4°F in July, with 37.6 inches of annual precipitation and 39.6 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Osage, IA
Average High — January	23.2°F
Average High — July	81.4°F
Annual Precipitation	37.6"
Annual Snowfall	39.6"

Demographics

Metric	Osage, IA	National Avg
Population	3,590	—
Median Age	44.8	38.9
Unemployment Rate	1.2%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	17.6 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	94.1%	59.3%
Black or African American	1.6%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	1.9%	18.9%
Asian	2.1%	6.3%
Under 18	18.1%	22.2%
65 and over	23.6%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Mitchell, IA 4 mi Orchard, IA 4 mi Little Cedar, IA 8 mi New Haven, IA 9 mi St. Ansgar, IA 9 mi

ZIP Codes in Osage

Osage, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

50461

Osage vs Other Cities

Osage, IA vs Mitchell, IA Osage, IA vs Orchard, IA Osage, IA vs Little Cedar, IA Osage, IA vs New Haven, IA Osage, IA vs St. Ansgar, IA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Osage, IA affordable or expensive?

Osage's cost of living index is 88, where 100 is the national average. That makes Osage roughly 12% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $131,700 and median rent is $673/month.

What is the crime rate in Osage, IA?

Osage's violent crime rate is 114.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 627.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Osage?

Public schools in Osage are operated by Osage Comm School District. The district has 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.3:1. 20.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Osage, IA a good place to live?

Osage, IA has a population of 3,590, a median household income of $56,667, and an unemployment rate of 1.2%. 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 Osage?

Osage averages 23.2°F in January and 81.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 37.6 inches with about 39.6 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Osage?

Osage, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 50461.

What is the population of Osage?

The population of Osage, Iowa is 3,590 with a median age of 44.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Osage?

Key numbers for living in Osage: cost of living index 88 (100 = US average), median home $131,700, median household income $56,667, crime index 30 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Osage side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.