City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Prairie City, IA

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

1,649
Residents
$78,269
Median income
$177,400
Median home
$1,008
Median rent (state)

Prairie City - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Prairie City places in the 60th percentile for household income and the 95th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

60th
percentile, household income
36th
percentile, home value
20th
percentile, median rent
95th
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: Prairie City, IA

Prairie City is a small town in Iowa, home to 1,649 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $78,269 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 1.1%. Typical homes in Prairie City are valued around $177,400, and the median resident age is 37.0 years. About 29.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 69.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 0 residential building permits were authorized in Prairie City (No Permits), per Census BPS data. Prairie City reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 232.9 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: the state registers 87.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,008 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $212 across Iowa, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 43.7 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Low).

Population

1,649 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$78,269 /yr

Poverty 1.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Prairie City compare to other US cities?

Prairie City measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 60% higher than other cities
Home value 36% pricier than other cities
Median rent 20% pricier than other cities
Safety 95% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Iowa and the picture shifts: Prairie City ranks #19 of 141 Iowa cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

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 Prairie City'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.

60thIncome percentile
95thSafety percentile

60th percentile nationally for median household income · 95th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Prairie City's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Prairie City'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 76 Avg. percentile National median
Prairie City'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 Prairie City's home value compares nationally

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

$177,400 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. Prairie City $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 - Prairie City, IA Prairie City, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Prairie City, 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 Prairie City, IA median $78,269/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%
Prairie City, 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 Prairie City, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 29.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 69.7%

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

Population
1,649
Median Income
$78,269
Median Home Value
$177,400
Median Age
37.0
Poverty Rate
1.1%
Labor force participation
69.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
29.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
232.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
58.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
174.7
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
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,690 residents1,700 residents1,710 residents1,720 residents1,730 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,698 residents 1,724 residents ▲ +1.5%
Prairie City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
73.8%
Carpool
3.9%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
4.0%
Work from Home
17.8%

Based on 820 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 Prairie City sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,008/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
43.7 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Lake City
1,652 people
Manson
1,653 people
Stuart
1,642 people
Akron
1,660 people
Nashua
1,634 people
Shell Rock
1,634 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Prairie City's 1,649 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Harpersville, AL
1,649 people
Plymouth, OH
1,649 people
Sneedville, TN
1,649 people
Jobos comunidad, PR
1,649 people
Wabasso, FL
1,648 people
Pelahatchie, MS
1,648 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Prairie City's $78,269 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Ruskin, NE
$78,269 median income
Moriches, NY
$78,269 median income
Grazierville, PA
$78,265 median income
Carlsbad, NM
$78,277 median income
Rigby, ID
$78,278 median income
Waverly, FL
$78,259 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Prairie City, 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 Prairie City, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 97.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.7% White 97.2% Black or African American 0.5% Asian 0.1% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 2.2% 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 Prairie City 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
Prairie City (this city) 1,649 $78,269
Lake City 1,652 $64,375
Manson 1,653 $70,893
Stuart 1,642 $62,500
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Prairie City, IA?

What is the population of Prairie City, IA? +

1,649 people live in Prairie City, IA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Prairie City, IA? +

Prairie City households earn a median of $78,269 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Prairie City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Prairie City; 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 Prairie City, IA safe? +

Prairie City has a total crime rate of 232.9 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Prairie City, IA? +

Prairie City's median home value sits at $177,400, 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.