Median Income
$46,522
household / year
Median Home Value
$92,600
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$826
gross / month
Cost of Living
88
national avg = 100

Is Postville, IA a Good Place to Live?

Postville is a small town of 2,653 in Iowa, with a median household income of $46,522 and a 6.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is 12% below the national average.

Strengths: Postville 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: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Postville is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Postville 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: 88.4

Postville's overall cost of living index is 88.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Postville costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.

Metric Postville, IA National Avg
Median Home Value $92,600 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $826 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 61.6% 65.9%
Median Household Income $46,522 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Postville's violent crime rate is 293.4 per 100,000 residents — 23% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
293.4 /100k
Property Crime
586.8 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Postville is served primarily by Postville Comm School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.8:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Postville, IA National Avg
School District Postville Comm School District
Elementary Schools 1
Middle Schools N/A
High Schools 1
Student/Teacher Ratio 10.8:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 11.7% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 80.1% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Postville sees average highs of 25.7°F in January and 82.8°F in July, with 38.9 inches of annual precipitation and 39.8 inches of snow per year.

MetricPostville, IA
Average High — January25.7°F
Average High — July82.8°F
Annual Precipitation38.9"
Annual Snowfall39.8"

Demographics

MetricPostville, IANational Avg
Population2,653
Median Age26.938.9
Unemployment Rate6.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time21.0 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)65.3%59.3%
Black or African American9.9%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino17.5%18.9%
Asian2.2%6.3%
Under 1836.1%22.2%
65 and over14.3%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Postville

Postville, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Postville vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Postville's cost of living index is 88, where 100 is the national average. That makes Postville roughly 12% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $92,600 and median rent is $826/month.
Postville's violent crime rate is 293.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 586.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Postville are operated by Postville Comm School District. The district has 1 elementary, several middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.8:1. 11.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Postville, IA has a population of 2,653, a median household income of $46,522, and an unemployment rate of 6.9%. 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.
Postville averages 25.7°F in January and 82.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 38.9 inches with about 39.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Postville, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 52162.
The population of Postville, Iowa is 2,653 with a median age of 26.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Postville: cost of living index 88 (100 = US average), median home $92,600, median household income $46,522, crime index 58 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Postville side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.