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: 88.4Postville'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 SafePostville's violent crime rate is 293.4 per 100,000 residents — 23% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
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.
| Metric | Postville, IA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 25.7°F |
| Average High — July | 82.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 39.8" |
Demographics
| Metric | Postville, IA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,653 | — |
| Median Age | 26.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.9% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 21.0 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 65.3% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 9.9% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.5% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 2.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 36.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 14.3% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Postville
Postville, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: