The Town FilesCedar Rapids, Iowa
City in Linn County · population 137,710 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $187,100
- Household income
- $70,424
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 34 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 36
- Median age
- 37.3
Cedar Rapids is a city of 137,710 people in Linn County, Iowa. The median home is worth $187,100, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks more vibrant than 96% of Iowa towns, more walkable than 94% of Iowa towns, better transit than 94% of Iowa towns.
How Cedar Rapids ranks
Percentile among Iowa towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Iowa towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Cedar Rapids is worth $187,100, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $70,424, which is more affordable than 26% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $967 a month. 68.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cedar Rapids | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $187,100 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $967 | $820 |
| Median household income | $70,424 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 68.5% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Cedar Rapids
| People | Cedar Rapids | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.7% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.1% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.8% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 7.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.3% | — |
| Work from home | 12.9% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 18.6 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.2% | 88.5% |
Weather in Cedar Rapids
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 11.3°F. About 35.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 34.3 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 144 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
36 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cedar Rapids since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 21, 2004 about 8.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 31, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 206 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 11, 2020.
Severe weather in Linn County since 1996
Linn County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 17, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4557: Severe Storms |
| March 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3480: Covid-19 |
| October 31, 2016 | Flood | DR-4289: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 5, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4187: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Linn County
Linn County had 125,917 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $67,613 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Cedar Rapids itself the ACS puts it at 3.6%.
Public schools in Cedar Rapids
41 public schools with 20,811 students, about 15.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| John F Kennedy High School | 9-12 | 1,719 | 18.1 |
| Thomas Jefferson High School | 9-12 | 1,575 | 18.3 |
| Prairie Point | 7-9 | 1,306 | 16.5 |
| Prairie High School | 10-12 | 1,271 | 17.7 |
| George Washington High School | 9-12 | 1,233 | 16.2 |
| Prairie Creek | 5-6 | 820 | 14.6 |
| Harding Middle School | 6-8 | 695 | 15.8 |
| Taft Middle School | 6-8 | 596 | 14.9 |
| Viola Gibson Elementary School | PK-5 | 575 | 16.9 |
| West Willow Elementary School | PK-5 | 541 | 16.9 |
| Franklin Middle School | 6-8 | 532 | 16.1 |
| Roosevelt Creative Corridor Business Academy | 6-8 | 528 | 14.7 |
Towns near Cedar Rapids
- Fairfax, IA5.7 mi · 2,828 people · home $274,500
- Hiawatha, IA6.4 mi · 7,183 people · home $216,900
- Marion, IA7.3 mi · 41,535 people · home $241,700
- Robins, IA7.9 mi · 3,353 people · home $413,400
- Mount Vernon, IA13.3 mi · 4,527 people · home $245,200
- Solon, IA14.3 mi · 3,018 people · home $309,400
- North Liberty, IA15.6 mi · 20,479 people · home $303,800
- Center Point, IA16.0 mi · 2,579 people · home $212,400
Cedar Rapids questions
Is Cedar Rapids, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cedar Rapids scores better for retirees than 3% of Iowa towns and quieter than 7%. 16.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.3).
How much does a house cost in Cedar Rapids?
The median owner-occupied home in Cedar Rapids is valued at $187,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,424, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $967 a month.
What is the weather like in Cedar Rapids?
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 11.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.9 inches of precipitation a year and 34.3 inches of snow.
Does Cedar Rapids get tornadoes?
36 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cedar Rapids since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 21, 2004. The typical Iowa town has had 24.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)