Shambaugh is a small town of 159 in Iowa, with a median household income of $69,167
.
Its cost of living index is 89 (US average = 100), which is
11% below the national average.
Strengths:
Shambaugh 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 Shambaugh is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Shambaugh 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: 88.7
Shambaugh's overall cost of living index is 88.7,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Shambaugh costs roughly 11% less than the average American city.
Metric
Shambaugh, IA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$80,800
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$938
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
92.9%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$69,167
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Shambaugh's violent crime rate is 350.8 per 100,000 residents
— 8% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
350.8 /100k
Property Crime
688.4 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Shambaugh, 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
14.8%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
97.4%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Shambaugh sees average highs of 32.7°F in January
and 85.8°F in July,
with 36.6 inches of annual precipitation
and 22.8 inches of snow per year.
Shambaugh's cost of living index is 89, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Shambaugh roughly 11% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $80,800 and median rent is $938/month.
Shambaugh's violent crime rate is 350.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 688.4 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.
Shambaugh, IA has a population of 159, a median household income of $69,167, and an unemployment rate of 0.0%.
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.
Shambaugh averages 32.7°F in January and 85.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 36.6 inches
with about 22.8 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Shambaugh, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 51651.
The population of Shambaugh, Iowa is 159 with a median age of 41.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Shambaugh: cost of living index 89 (100 = US average), median home $80,800, median household income $69,167, crime index 69 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Shambaugh side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
