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Living in
Boone.
About
Life in Boone
Boone is a community of 12,445 people in Iowa. The median household income is $69,222, median rent runs about $831 per month, and median home values are around $173,000. Unemployment is low at 3.1%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Boone at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.3%
Foreign-Born
1.5%
Broadband Internet
87.2%
of households
Population Growth
+0.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.5% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Boone: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Boone, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (55.2%), and 1.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
19.7%
of residents
65 and Older
18.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.0%
of households
Married Couples
47.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.31
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 15% below IA average
Rent, home values, and income in Boone
In Boone, rent runs 15% below the IA average, and home values are 17% below the IA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
39.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
16.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
88.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,823
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
71.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1957
median year built
Vacant Homes
11.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $211,774 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below IA average
Unemployment in Boone
Unemployment in Boone County, which includes Boone, is 0.4 percentage points lower than the IA average.
Unemployment rate
Boone: Boone County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Boone County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Boone Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19.2 min avg
How Boone residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Boone, most residents drive alone to work (79%), and 77% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 38 mi
Des Moines International Airport (DSM)
Small hub1.6M passengers boarded in 2025
- 116 mi
Eppley Airfield (OMA)
Medium hub2.6M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 73% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Boone runs 73% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
88.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
690
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Boone Police Department
Natural DisastersDrought most common — 9 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very Low
28.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Boone County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Boone County, which includes Boone, the most common type is drought, with 9 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 14 | Drought | $10,000 |
| 2023 | 14 | Drought | None reported |
| 2022 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1,500 |
| 2021 | 12 | Drought | $15,000 |
| 2020 | 11 | Drought | None reported |
| 2019 | 18 | Flood | $31,000 |
| 2018 | 16 | Hail | $35,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Boone County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Polk County, IA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 30 miles from Boone) is typically good — 224 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
224
per year
Moderate Days
139
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Polk County, IA (30 mi away)
Climate82°F summers, 13°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Boone has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and very cold winters (avg low 13°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/37°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/39°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
32°/13°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
39.1"
Annual Snowfall
35.9"
Hot Days/Year
16
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
153
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
123
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°F | 9°F | 1.20" |
| Feb | 33°F | 13°F | 1.41" |
| Mar | 46°F | 26°F | 2.26" |
| Apr | 60°F | 37°F | 4.06" |
| May | 71°F | 49°F | 5.17" |
| Jun | 81°F | 59°F | 5.38" |
| Jul | 84°F | 63°F | 4.80" |
| Aug | 82°F | 61°F | 4.92" |
| Sep | 76°F | 52°F | 3.32" |
| Oct | 63°F | 39°F | 2.97" |
| Nov | 47°F | 27°F | 2.08" |
| Dec | 34°F | 16°F | 1.57" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Boone
Boone has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
4.4%
of residents
Boone County Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Mary Greeley Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.7 mi away · Ames
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Boone
Boone's student/teacher ratio is 13.7:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 24.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
24.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Boone (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 25,367 students · in-state tuition $11,092 · 74% graduate · median earnings $67,568 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreation
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Boone
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Public Libraries in Boone
Ericson Public Library
702 Greene St, Boone
Cities Near Boone
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Boone?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Boone FAQ
Is Boone, Iowa affordable?⌄
Boone's median rent is $831/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $69,222/year. Median home value is $173,000.
Is Boone, Iowa safe?⌄
Boone's violent crime rate was 88 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 690 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Boone, Iowa?⌄
Boone County, which includes Boone, has an unemployment rate of 3.1%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Boone, Iowa?⌄
The cost of living in Boone is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $831/month and median household income is $69,222/year. The median home value is $173,000. About 40% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Boone, Iowa?⌄
The average commute in Boone is 19 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from