City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Cedar Rapids, IA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Cedar Rapids - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

136,859
Residents
$67,859
Median income
$177,100
Median home
$1,071
Median rent (state)

Cedar Rapids - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Cedar Rapids lands in the 47th percentile for household income and the 16th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

47th
percentile, household income
36th
percentile, home value
26th
percentile, median rent
16th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Cedar Rapids, IA

Iowa's Cedar Rapids is a mid-sized U.S. city, with 136,859 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Cedar Rapids brings in $67,859 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.1%. Home values in Cedar Rapids run a median of $177,100, and the median resident age is 36.9 years. About 32.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 65.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 608 residential building permits were authorized in Cedar Rapids (Building Boom), up 64% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Cedar Rapids's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2950.6 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Iowa scores 87.8 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,071 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $212 across Iowa, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 15.9 minutes, with 77.0% driving alone and 12.6% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 86.7 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

136,859 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$67,859 /yr

Poverty 7.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Cedar Rapids compare to other US cities?

Here's how Cedar Rapids stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 47% higher than other cities
Home value 36% pricier than other cities
Median rent 26% pricier than other cities
Safety 16% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Iowa alone, Cedar Rapids ranks #132 of 141 Iowa cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Cedar Rapids's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Iowa, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

47thIncome percentile
16thSafety percentile

47th percentile nationally for median household income · 16th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Cedar Rapids's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Cedar Rapids's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 44 Avg. percentile National median
Cedar Rapids's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Cedar Rapids's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$177,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 64% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Cedar Rapids $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Cedar Rapids, IA Cedar Rapids, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Cedar Rapids, IA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Cedar Rapids, IA median $67,859/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Cedar Rapids, IA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Cedar Rapids, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 32.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 65.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
136,859
Median Income
$67,859
Median Home Value
$177,100
Median Age
36.9
Poverty Rate
7.1%
Labor force participation
65.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
32.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2950.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
261.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2689.1
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
42
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
136,000 residents137,000 residents138,000 residents139,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 137,853 residents 137,935 residents ▲ +0.1%
Cedar Rapids's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
608
housing units authorized
Single-Family
143
detached homes
Multifamily
465
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 370
2020 236
2021 438
2022 354
2023 374
2024 608

Permit volume increased 64% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
15.9 minutes
Drive Alone
77.0%
Carpool
6.5%
Public Transit
0.6%
Walk
2.2%
Work from Home
12.6%
Other
1.1%

Based on 71,655 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Iowa - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$75
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$212
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Iowa state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Iowa state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Cedar Rapids sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,071/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
86.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Davenport
101,083 people
Sioux City
85,651 people
Iowa City
75,264 people
Ankeny
70,542 people
West Des Moines
69,893 people
Waterloo
66,947 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Cedar Rapids's 136,859 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Dayton, OH
136,741 people
Pasadena, CA
136,462 people
Hampton, VA
137,334 people
Miramar, FL
135,986 people
Victorville, CA
135,983 people
Elizabeth, NJ
135,887 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Cedar Rapids's $67,859 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Ada, MN
$67,857 median income
Beardsley, MN
$67,857 median income
Halstad, MN
$67,857 median income
Norwood Young America, MN
$67,857 median income
Hartselle, AL
$67,863 median income
Victoria, MS
$67,854 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Cedar Rapids, IA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Cedar Rapids, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 79.7% 8.5% 7.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.1% White 79.7% Black or African American 8.5% Asian 2.5% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.4% Two or more races 7.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Cedar Rapids compares to nearby Iowa cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Cedar Rapids (this city) 136,859 $67,859
Davenport 101,083 $64,497
Sioux City 85,651 $65,473
Iowa City 75,264 $57,533
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Cedar Rapids, IA?

What is the population of Cedar Rapids, IA? +

Cedar Rapids, IA counts 136,859 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Cedar Rapids, IA? +

In Cedar Rapids, the typical household earns $67,859 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Cedar Rapids? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Cedar Rapids; the closest available measure is the Iowa state average, a cost of living index of 87.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Iowa vary by metro area.

Is Cedar Rapids, IA safe? +

Cedar Rapids has a total crime rate of 2950.6 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Cedar Rapids, IA? +

Homes in Cedar Rapids carry a median value of $177,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.