What it's like to live in Fort Dodge
Fort Dodge is a small city in Iowa with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Fort Dodge deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, and cold, harsh winters.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Low college degree attainment
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 39" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Fort Dodge compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Fort Dodge
Based on Fort Dodge's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,570
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $31,400 a year
- 42% of Fort Dodge renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$28,820
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $14,410
- Homes cost 2.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 44% below US
$785/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $785 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $144,100. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $144,100 · 42% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 12% below US
3.8% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.8%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 185% above US
940 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 2848/100k · Fort Dodge Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 27% below US
19 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 11°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 40% below US
22% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 22%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary and 4 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Bottom line
Fort Dodge's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($785/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Fort Dodge
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