What it's like to live in Johnston
Johnston is a small city in Iowa with unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Johnston deals with air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, cold, harsh winters, snowy winters, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Air quality concerns
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 38" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Johnston compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Johnston
Based on Johnston's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,676
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $53,520 a year
- 45% of Johnston renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$73,820
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $36,910
- Homes cost 3.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,338/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,338 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices run above average, with a median around $369,100. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $369,100 · 45% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 28% below US
3.1% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.1%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 75% below US
83 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 676/100k · Johnston Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 24% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.7 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 14% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 16°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 61% above US
58% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Bottom line
Johnston's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and cold, harsh winters. A year of median rent ($1,338/mo) equals 15% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers, anyone prioritizing low crime, and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
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