Fort Dodge, IA vs Le Mars, IA

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

MetricFort Dodge, IALe Mars, IA
Population24,82710,640
Median Household Income$60,649$74,701
Median Rent$785/mo$929/mo
Median Home Value$144,100$219,200
Cost of Living (US = 100)——
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income42.2%31.4%
Poverty Rate15.9%9.2%
Unemployment Rate3.8%2.6% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k940168
Property Crime Rate /100k2,848571
Median AQI45—
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs81°F83°F
Winter Lows11°F11°F
Snowfall39 in/yr31 in/yr
Avg Commute19 min16.3 min
Hospitals11
Avg Hospital Rating2.0 / 53.0 / 5
Students per Teacher16.515.6
College Degree Rate21.7%21.1%
Foreign-Born %4.1%6.5%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-0.2%+1.7%

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