Iowa vs North Dakota
North Dakota comes out ahead of Iowa on 392 of 785 statistics where one end is better, to 372 with 21 ties. Iowa leads on Crime & Safety, Travel and Environment and 5 more categories. North Dakota leads on Infrastructure & Energy, Tech & Business and Sports and 4 more categories.
785 statistics with a better end, compared
Each counts once for the place that ranks better; 21 ties. Totals that mostly track population are left out.
- Wins
- 372
- Avg. percentile
- 54
- Categories led
- 8
- Wins
- 392
- Avg. percentile
- 54
- Categories led
- 7
At a glance
Headline statistics, each ranked among all US states.
| Statistic | Iowa | North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,246,320 32nd of 51 | 805,329 47th of 51 |
| Median Household IncomeHousing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | $75,059 32nd of 51 | $76,657 28th of 51 |
| Unemployment Rate (%)Unemployment Rate by State (BLS) | 3.5% tied 15th of 51 | 2.6% 3rd of 51 |
| Poverty Rate (%)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | 11.1% 21st of 51 | 10.8% 20th of 51 |
| Price Level (All Items)Cost of Living by State (Regional Price Parities) | 87.8 3rd of 51 | 89.0 8th of 51 |
| Real Personal Income per Person (2017 Dollars)Real Personal Income by State | $60,144 19th of 51 | $65,271 7th of 51 |
| Average Annual Wage, All JobsAverage Wage by State (BLS) | $59,830 42nd of 51 | $64,050 31st of 51 |
| Median Rent (Monthly, Capped at $3,501)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | $972 7th of 51 | $954 tied 4th of 51 |
| Violent Crime Rate (per 100K)Crime Rates by State (FBI) | 233.9 16th of 51 | 238.1 18th of 51 |
| Heating Degree Days per YearClimate by State (1991–2020 Averages) | 6,821 36th of 48 | 9,184 48th of 48 |
By category
Average percentile on each category's widely ranked statistics.
- Infrastructure & EnergyNorth Dakota · 36 statistics
- Crime & SafetyIowa · 63 statistics
- Tech & BusinessNorth Dakota · 48 statistics
- SportsNorth Dakota · 17 statistics
- TravelIowa · 28 statistics
- EnvironmentIowa · 38 statistics
- CultureNorth Dakota · 79 statistics
- AgricultureNorth Dakota · 17 statistics
- LawNorth Dakota · 63 statistics
- GeographyNorth Dakota · 25 statistics
- EducationIowa · 50 statistics
- HealthIowa · 186 statistics
- PopulationIowa · 125 statistics
- Facts & TriviaIowa · 17 statistics
- Politics & GovernmentIowa · 120 statistics
- EconomicsEven · 297 statistics
Biggest differences
The 30 statistics where their rankings differ most, among rankings of at least 26 US states.
| Statistic | Iowa | North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Employment and Wealth Racial Progress RankLeast Racist States | 51st 51st of 51 | 5th 5th of 51 |
| Driving Fatalities Involving AlcoholAlcohol Consumption by State | 25.4% 7th of 50 | 46.7% 50th of 50 |
| Overall RankFood Waste by State | 44th 7th best of 50 | 2nd 2nd worst of 50 |
| Wasted Instead of ReusedFood Waste by State | 45th 6th best of 50 | 3rd 3rd worst of 50 |
| Avg Cost per MbpsInternet Costs by State | $1.22 44th of 51 | $0.64 2nd of 51 |
| Income Tax Maximum RateTaxes by State | 8.53% 35th of 43 | 2.9% 1st of 43 |
| Cost Per CapitaPrisons by State | $139 tied 1st of 50 | $300 41st of 50 |
| Opportunity RankWorst States to Live in | 8th tied 8th worst of 50 | 47th 3rd best of 50 |
| Estimated TaxesLeast Taxed States | $12,084 46th of 51 | $5,885 7th of 51 |
| Tax as % of IncomeLeast Taxed States | 13.8% 46th of 51 | 6.7% 7th of 51 |
| # Change in Prison Pop. 2021-2022Prison Population by State | -1.0 7th of 50 | 7.6 45th of 50 |
| Food Wasted RankFood Waste by State | 50th best of 50 | 12th 12th worst of 50 |
| Farmland Price Per AcreAcre Value by State | $9,250 39th of 46 | $2,140 5th of 46 |
| FTE Lack of Laws RankMost Corrupt States | 44th 7th best of 50 | 8th 8th worst of 50 |
| Workplace Safety Rank WalletHubSafest States in the US | 14th 14th of 50 | 50th 50th of 50 |
| Lake Surface Area (mi)Bass Fishing by State | 1.3 48th of 50 | 250 tied 12th of 50 |
| FTE Convictions per Capita RankMost Corrupt States | 40th 11th best of 50 | 5th 5th worst of 50 |
| Lake Surface Area (acres)Bass Fishing by State | 814 48th of 50 | 160,000 13th of 50 |
| Single Family (Max Appraisal Fees in State)Appraisal Fees by State | $750 tied 13th of 51 | $1,100 50th of 51 |
| Foreclosure RateForeclosure Rates by State | 1,457 16th of 51 | 7,875 50th of 51 |
| Laws and Regulations RankBest States to Homeschool | 13th tied 13th of 50 | 45th tied 45th of 50 |
| Political DiversityLeast Diverse States in the US | 14th 14th of 50 | 47th 47th of 50 |
| Score (out of 100)Best States to Own a Business | 31 35th of 49 | 96 3rd of 49 |
| Total ScoreEntrepreneur-Friendly States | 31 35th of 49 | 96 3rd of 49 |
| Min RateTax Rates by State | 4.4% tied 30th of 40 | 1.1% 5th of 40 |
| Community & Environment RankHappiest States | 9th 9th of 50 | 41st 41st of 50 |
| RankEntrepreneur-Friendly States | 35th 35th of 50 | 3rd 3rd of 50 |
| Total RankBest States to Own a Business | 35th 35th of 50 | 3rd 3rd of 50 |
| HPV Up-to-Date MaleVaccination Rates by State | 57.0% tied 38th of 51 | 70.7% 6th of 51 |
| Fiscal Stability RankWorst States to Live in | 3rd tied 3rd worst of 50 | 34th 16th best of 50 |
Quick answers
- Which is better, Iowa or North Dakota?
- North Dakota comes out ahead of Iowa on 392 of 785 statistics where one end is better, to 372 with 21 ties. Iowa leads on Crime & Safety, Travel and Environment and 5 more categories. North Dakota leads on Infrastructure & Energy, Tech & Business and Sports and 4 more categories. Statistics where neither end is better, and totals that mostly track population, are not counted.
- Which has more people, Iowa or North Dakota?
- Iowa has a population of 3,246,320 (32nd of 51 US states) and North Dakota has 805,329 (47th of 51).
- How do Iowa and North Dakota compare on Median Household Income?
- Median Household Income: Iowa $75,059 (32nd of 51), North Dakota $76,657 (28th of 51) among US states. North Dakota ranks better.
- How do Iowa and North Dakota compare on Unemployment Rate (%)?
- Unemployment Rate (%): Iowa 3.5% (tied 15th of 51), North Dakota 2.6% (3rd of 51) among US states. North Dakota ranks better.
- Where does Iowa beat North Dakota most clearly?
- Iowa ranks far ahead on Driving Fatalities Involving Alcohol (Alcohol Consumption by State): 25.4% vs 46.7%; Overall Rank (Food Waste by State): 44th vs 2nd; Wasted Instead of Reused (Food Waste by State): 45th vs 3rd.
- Where does North Dakota beat Iowa most clearly?
- North Dakota ranks far ahead on Employment and Wealth Racial Progress Rank (Least Racist States): 5th vs 51st; Avg Cost per Mbps (Internet Costs by State): $0.64 vs $1.22; Income Tax Maximum Rate (Taxes by State): 2.9% vs 8.53%.
More matchups
Other comparisons with Iowa or North Dakota.
- Alabama vs Iowa
- Alaska vs Iowa
- Arizona vs Iowa
- Arkansas vs Iowa
- California vs Iowa
- Colorado vs Iowa
- Connecticut vs Iowa
- Delaware vs Iowa
- Alabama vs North Dakota
- Alaska vs North Dakota
- Arizona vs North Dakota
- Arkansas vs North Dakota
- California vs North Dakota
- Colorado vs North Dakota
- Connecticut vs North Dakota
- Delaware vs North Dakota