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Living in
Marshalltown.
About
Life in Marshalltown
Living in Marshalltown means settling into a mid-sized Iowa city where housing is genuinely affordable—median home prices hover around $128,000 and rents average $891 per month, making it accessible for families and first-time buyers. The community is family-oriented with about a third of households containing children, and you'll find solid school options including Marshalltown High School with over 1,000 students. The Latino community represents a meaningful part of the city's character and continues to grow.
Marshalltown at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
14.3%
Foreign-Born
20.1%
Broadband Internet
87.5%
of households
Population Growth
-0.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics20.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Marshalltown: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Marshalltown, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (54.7%), and 27.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
27.0%
of residents
65 and Older
16.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
33.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.2%
of households
Married Couples
47.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.62
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 8% below IA average
Rent, home values, and income in Marshalltown
In Marshalltown, rent runs 8% below the IA average, and home values are 39% below the IA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
32.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
11.7%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,157
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
68.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1958
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $176,616 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 3.8 pts above IA average
Unemployment in Marshalltown
Unemployment in Marshalltown is 3.8 percentage points higher than the IA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Marshalltown Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute17.2 min avg
How Marshalltown residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Marshalltown, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 82% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 44 mi
Waterloo Regional Airport (ALO)
Regional airport · few flights20k 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 14% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Marshalltown runs 14% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
282.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,301.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Marshalltown Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 11 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
62.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Marshall County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Marshall County, which includes Marshalltown, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 11 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 26 | Drought | $5,000 |
| 2023 | 19 | Hail | None reported |
| 2022 | 15 | High Wind | $4,000 |
| 2021 | 15 | Drought | $25,000 |
| 2020 | 11 | Heavy Rain | $20,000 |
| 2019 | 20 | Hail | $2.4M |
| 2018 | 16 | Hail | $200.1M |
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
Marshall 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 42 miles from Marshalltown) 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 (42 mi away)
Climate82°F summers, 13°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Marshalltown has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and very cold winters (avg low 13°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/36°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
61°/39°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
31°/13°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
36.4"
Annual Snowfall
25.3"
Hot Days/Year
13
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
152
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
105
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°F | 9°F | 0.97" |
| Feb | 32°F | 13°F | 1.16" |
| Mar | 45°F | 25°F | 2.10" |
| Apr | 60°F | 36°F | 3.82" |
| May | 71°F | 49°F | 4.94" |
| Jun | 80°F | 59°F | 5.93" |
| Jul | 84°F | 63°F | 4.58" |
| Aug | 82°F | 60°F | 4.37" |
| Sep | 75°F | 51°F | 3.85" |
| Oct | 62°F | 39°F | 2.66" |
| Nov | 47°F | 26°F | 2.10" |
| Dec | 34°F | 16°F | 1.39" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Marshalltown
Marshalltown has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
6.4%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Unitypoint Health - Marshalltown
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
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.
Education14.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Marshalltown
Marshalltown's student/teacher ratio is 14.2:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 20.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
20.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Marshalltown
Marshalltown Community College
Public · 2-year · 788 students · in-state tuition $5,664 · 45% graduate · median earnings $43,170 (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 & Recreationclosest: Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, 84 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Marshalltown
Marshalltown has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Herbert Hoover National Historic Site (84 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
National Historic Site
84 mi awayPublic Libraries in Marshalltown
Marshalltown Public Library
105 W Boone St, Marshalltown
Cities Near Marshalltown
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Marshalltown?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Marshalltown FAQ
Is Marshalltown, Iowa affordable?⌄
Marshalltown's median rent is $891/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $69,068/year. Median home value is $127,700.
Is Marshalltown, Iowa safe?⌄
Marshalltown's violent crime rate was 283 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1302 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Marshalltown, Iowa?⌄
Marshalltown has an unemployment rate of 7.3%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Marshalltown, Iowa?⌄
The cost of living in Marshalltown is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $891/month and median household income is $69,068/year. The median home value is $127,700. About 32% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Marshalltown, Iowa?⌄
The average commute in Marshalltown is 17 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