Austin, MN vs Mason City, IA

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricAustin, MNMason City, IA
Population26,35827,050
Median Household Income$68,057$64,804
Median Rent$953/mo$882/mo
Median Home Value$163,900$142,000
Cost of Living (US = 100)——
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income43%34.1%
Poverty Rate12.5%12%
Unemployment Rate3.7%3.4%
Violent Crime Rate /100k187354
Property Crime Rate /100k1,6752,580
Median AQI—19
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs79°F80°F
Winter Lows9°F11°F
Snowfall43 in/yr44 in/yr
Avg Commute18 min13.5 min
Hospitals—1
Avg Hospital Rating—2.0 / 5
Students per Teacher15.114.4
College Degree Rate23.6%20.8%
Foreign-Born %17.5%3.3%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+1.9%-1.8%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.