3 Reasons Families Fall in Love With Living in Iowa

I am undoubtedly biased when I say the best place to raise a family is in Iowa. Maybe it’s because I grew up here myself, and then left, not fully appreciating the affordability, four seasons, or the excellent education system. But after a few years of wisdom and a worldly perspective, I realized there’s no place like home, and I came right back to the same spot to raise my own kids. With age, I also know better than to definitively call any place the best, so rather than proclaiming that, I’ll safely opt for giving you three reasons to live in Iowa.

1. Affordability and Cost of Living in Iowa

Iowa is among the top 10 most affordable states for first-time homebuyers, and conditions are only getting better as we enter 2026, with the housing market clearly shifting into a buyer’s market. Currently, the median home sale price in Iowa hovers right around $210,000, and the most affordable cities are in eastern Iowa, in Waterloo, Davenport, Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, and Sioux City in Western Iowa. Alternatively, if small-town living sounds like your cup of tea, Iowa has 940 small towns with populations under 5,000, many of which have an even lower cost of living. 

But it’s not just home prices that are good; thanks to its leadership in wind energy, Iowa also has some of the lowest utility costs in the country, averaging around $450 per household per month. Grocery costs are also low, with Iowa ranking as the most affordable state: weekly grocery prices are estimated at around $227, 4 percent below the national average. So all in all, if affordability is high on the list of priorities, you can see why so many families find many reasons to live in Iowa from the start.

2. Iowa’s Weather, Climate, and Natural Beauty

Although Iowa probably isn’t the first state to come to mind for nature seekers, the natural beauty of our state is the number one reason why I love living here so much. It’s not just row crops and Interstate 80, as it might appear at first glance. Iowa also boasts dozens of pristine state parks and thousands—yes, thousands—of local parks. We’re talking parks abundant in playgrounds and campgrounds, plus hiking and biking trails that lace through bluffs, caves, lakes, hills, prairies, rivers, and endless forests. Most Iowa parks are accessible year-round, throughout our balmy summers, frosty winters, and the idyllic months of spring and fall. With a fairly consistent topography, the climate is generally uniform across the state, except for slight variations in weather, temperatures, and precipitation by location. The northern parts often receive heavier snowfall in winter, while the southern parts have summers a few degrees warmer. 

3. Education in Iowa and Family-Friendly Amenities

Although not perfect, the state of Iowahas a longstanding, successful public education system, one that consistently ranks in the top third of all states. Recent nationwide progress reports heavily measure each state’s regression after the pandemic, and its recovery in the year since. Iowa is one of only three states to exceed expectations for both math and reading proficiency in the post-pandemic assessments, and is a noted leader in the nation’s education system. 

One of Iowa’s most celebrated school achievements is ranking third in the country for on-time graduation and high postsecondary readiness, with 70 percent of high school graduates earning college credits before graduation. Another great appeal of Iowa schools is their low student-to-teacher ratio: just 14 students per teacher on average across all grade levels. That statistic is thanks to 98 percent teacher salary fulfillment, perhaps influenced by Iowa being a state where you can still buy a home on a teacher’s salary.

Where Are the Best Places To Raise a Family in Iowa?

 In reflection of the affordability of housing for first-time buyers and the best schools in the state, small towns will always come out on top as the best places to raise a family in Iowa. But, if a city is where you prefer or where you need to be, eastern Iowa is your best bet, but you will probably have to decide if housing prices or the best schools are top priority, or if you’re willing to commute. The best-ranked high school in Iowa is Iowa City West High in Iowa City, Iowa. It’s located about 30 miles south of Cedar Rapids, where housing costs are lowest, but the average home in Iowa City is nearly $100,000 higher. The best elementary school in Iowa is in Bettendorf, where housing can be almost twice as expensive as in Davenport, just 5 miles away. To help sort it out, I recommend using Only In Your State's AI-powered itinerary planner to learn more about the pros and cons of each area.