Is St. Olaf, IA a Good Place to Live?
St. Olaf is a small town of 107 in Iowa, with a median household income of $69,167 and a 6.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 85 (US average = 100), which is 15% below the national average.
Strengths: St. Olaf stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether St. Olaf is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All St. Olaf 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: 85.1St. Olaf's overall cost of living index is 85.1, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in St. Olaf costs roughly 15% less than the average American city.
| Metric | St. Olaf, IA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $76,700 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $613 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 76.2% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $69,167 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeSt. Olaf's violent crime rate is 62.7 per 100,000 residents — 84% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
| Metric | St. Olaf, 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 | 16.0% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 94.7% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
St. Olaf sees average highs of 26.3°F in January and 82.2°F in July, with 38.8 inches of annual precipitation and 35.6 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | St. Olaf, IA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 26.3°F |
| Average High — July | 82.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 35.6" |
Demographics
| Metric | St. Olaf, IA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 107 | — |
| Median Age | 39.3 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.0% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 21.3 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 87.9% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 6.5% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 23.4% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 11.2% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in St. Olaf
St. Olaf, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: