Patterson is a small town of 305 in Iowa, with a median household income of $70,000
and a 1.1% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is
7% below the national average.
Strengths:
Patterson 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 Patterson is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Patterson 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
Patterson's overall cost of living index is 92.7,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Patterson costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.
Metric
Patterson, IA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$116,500
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$850
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
93.0%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$70,000
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Patterson's violent crime rate is 177.5 per 100,000 residents
— 53% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
177.5 /100k
Property Crime
397.8 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Patterson, 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
7.5%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
89.6%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Patterson sees average highs of 29.9°F in January
and 83.8°F in July,
with 34.8 inches of annual precipitation
and 30.7 inches of snow per year.
Patterson's cost of living index is 93, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Patterson roughly 7% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $116,500 and median rent is $850/month.
Patterson's violent crime rate is 177.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 397.8 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.
Patterson, IA has a population of 305, a median household income of $70,000, and an unemployment rate of 1.1%.
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.
Patterson averages 29.9°F in January and 83.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 34.8 inches
with about 30.7 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Patterson, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 50218.
The population of Patterson, Iowa is 305 with a median age of 33.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Patterson: cost of living index 93 (100 = US average), median home $116,500, median household income $70,000, crime index 36 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Patterson side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
