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Living in
Carroll.
About
Life in Carroll
Carroll is a community of 10,261 people in Iowa. The median household income is $69,706, median rent runs about $718 per month, and median home values are around $188,700. Unemployment is low at 2.2%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Carroll at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
43.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.9%
Foreign-Born
2.2%
Broadband Internet
87.0%
of households
Population Growth
-2.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.2% foreign-born, most often from Cuba
Who lives in Carroll: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Carroll, the largest foreign-born group is from Cuba (52.6%), and 2.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.6%
of residents
65 and Older
24.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
21.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
42.7%
of households
Married Couples
39.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.09
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 26% below IA average
Rent, home values, and income in Carroll
In Carroll, rent runs 26% below the IA average, and home values are 9% below the IA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
37.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
11.1%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,409
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
71.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1971
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $210,001 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.1 pts below IA average
Unemployment in Carroll
Unemployment in Carroll County, which includes Carroll, is 1.1 percentage points lower than the IA average.
Unemployment rate
Carroll: Carroll County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Carroll County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Carroll Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute11.8 min avg
How Carroll residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Carroll, most residents drive alone to work (83%), and 92% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 48 mi
Fort Dodge Regional Airport (FOD)
Regional airport · few flights9,173 passengers boarded in 2025
- 74 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 82% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Carroll runs 82% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
59.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,220.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Carroll Police Department
Natural DisastersDrought most common — 10 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
57.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Carroll County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Carroll County, which includes Carroll, the most common type is drought, with 10 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $85,000 |
| 2024 | 18 | Drought | $50,000 |
| 2023 | 17 | Drought | None reported |
| 2022 | 10 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 16 | Drought | $80,000 |
| 2020 | 14 | Drought | None reported |
| 2019 | 9 | Frost/Freeze | None reported |
| 2018 | 11 | Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | $6,000 |
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
Carroll County, county-wide
Air Quality45 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Webster County, IA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 43 miles from Carroll) is typically good — 109 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
45
Good Days
109
per year
Moderate Days
71
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Webster County, IA (43 mi away)
Climate83°F summers, 14°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Carroll has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and very cold winters (avg low 14°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/37°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/39°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
31°/14°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
33.7"
Annual Snowfall
34.5"
Hot Days/Year
18
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
153
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
106
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°F | 10°F | 0.90" |
| Feb | 33°F | 14°F | 1.11" |
| Mar | 46°F | 25°F | 1.87" |
| Apr | 60°F | 36°F | 3.35" |
| May | 71°F | 49°F | 4.49" |
| Jun | 81°F | 60°F | 5.12" |
| Jul | 84°F | 64°F | 4.36" |
| Aug | 82°F | 61°F | 4.06" |
| Sep | 76°F | 52°F | 2.95" |
| Oct | 63°F | 40°F | 2.68" |
| Nov | 46°F | 27°F | 1.44" |
| Dec | 33°F | 16°F | 1.38" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Carroll
Carroll has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
2.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
St Anthony Regional Hospital & Nursing Home
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Stewart Memorial Community Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 14.9 mi away · Lake City
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.
Education15.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Carroll
Carroll's student/teacher ratio is 15.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 27.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
27.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, 78 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Carroll
Carroll has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail (78 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
78 mi awayPublic Libraries in Carroll
Carroll Public Library
118 E 5th St, Carroll
Cities Near Carroll
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Carroll?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Carroll FAQ
Is Carroll, Iowa affordable?⌄
Carroll's median rent is $722/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $69,706/year. Median home value is $188,700.
Is Carroll, Iowa safe?⌄
Carroll's violent crime rate was 60 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 1220 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Carroll, Iowa?⌄
Carroll County, which includes Carroll, has an unemployment rate of 2.4%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Carroll, Iowa?⌄
The cost of living in Carroll is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $722/month and median household income is $69,706/year. The median home value is $188,700. About 37% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Carroll, Iowa?⌄
The average commute in Carroll is 12 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