Is Iowa, LA a Good Place to Live?
Iowa is a small town of 3,297 in Louisiana, with a median household income of $62,024 and a 5.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 87 (US average = 100), which is 13% below the national average.
Strengths: Iowa stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Iowa is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Iowa 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: 86.7Iowa's overall cost of living index is 86.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Iowa costs roughly 13% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Iowa, LA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $242,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,040 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 70.7% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $62,024 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
High CrimeIowa's violent crime rate is 1429.0 per 100,000 residents — 276% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Iowa is served primarily by Calcasieu Parish. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Iowa, LA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Calcasieu Parish | — |
| Elementary Schools | 33 | — |
| Middle Schools | 11 | — |
| High Schools | 9 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 12.1:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.9% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 88.2% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Iowa sees average highs of 62.5°F in January and 91.7°F in July, with 61.6 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Iowa, LA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 62.5°F |
| Average High — July | 91.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 61.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Iowa, LA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,297 | — |
| Median Age | 35.3 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 24.7 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 66.9% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 29.2% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.3% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 28.4% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 19.4% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Iowa
Iowa, LA is covered by 1 ZIP code: