Is Van Meter, IA a Good Place to Live?
Van Meter is a small town of 1,468 in Iowa, with a median household income of $124,375 and a 0.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.
Strengths: Van Meter stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Van Meter is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Van Meter 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: 92.7Van Meter's overall cost of living index is 92.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Van Meter costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Van Meter, IA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $225,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $889 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 90.0% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $124,375 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeVan Meter's violent crime rate is 55.2 per 100,000 residents — 85% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Van Meter is served primarily by Van Meter Comm School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.5:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Van Meter, IA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Van Meter Comm School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 17.5:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.5% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 98.2% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Van Meter sees average highs of 29.9°F in January and 83.8°F in July, with 37.3 inches of annual precipitation and 30.7 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Van Meter, IA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 29.9°F |
| Average High — July | 83.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 30.7" |
Demographics
| Metric | Van Meter, IA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,468 | — |
| Median Age | 36.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 0.9% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 22.0 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 96.3% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.2% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.7% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.1% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 34.3% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 10.6% | 16.8% |