Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety43#8,932/15,637
Economy72#4,353/15,631
Housing96#664/14,977
Health41#9,170/15,609
Healthcare55#7,098/15,650
Environment83#2,677/15,453
Education51#7,714/15,649
Infrastructure48#8,090/15,650
Community78#3,387/15,651
Leisure & amenities44#8,759/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where State Center, Iowa ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Marshall County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Drought exposure · low0%
98/100Iowa 13%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAAMarshall County value
Rent as share of income · low17.7%
97/100Iowa 27.4%United States 30.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25071
Rent-burdened households · low19.6%
96/100Iowa 43.9%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070High uncertainty
Mammography screening · high56.0%
94/100Iowa 57.0%United States 46.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteMarshall County value
Preventable hospital stays · low1,719 /100k
93/100Iowa 2,368 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteMarshall County value
Home price to income ratio · low2.0×
92/100Iowa 2.8×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077

Weaknesses

New business applications · low7.1 /1k
2/100Iowa 10.8 /1kUnited States 16.6 /1k2025U.S. Census BureauMarshall County value
Mental health care shortage · high19.0
4/100Iowa 10.1United States 9.9Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationMarshall County value
Pharmacies · low0.8 /10k
7/100Iowa 1.5 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMarshall County value
Suicide rate · high25.0 /100k
9/100Iowa 16.9 /100kUnited States 14.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataMarshall County value
Adult obesity · high43.1%
9/100Iowa 39.7%United States 38.2%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Primary care shortage · high16.0
14/100Iowa 7.0United States 6.2Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationMarshall County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationFalling
1,661 (2015-2019) → 1,412 (2020-2024)
−15%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Bachelor's degree or higherImproving
16.0% (2015-2019) → 33.5% (2020-2024)
+17 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
73.0% (2015-2019) → 89.2% (2020-2024)
+16 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
New homes permittedWorsening
3.1 /1k (2021) → 0.7 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
−77%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Average commute timeWorsening
19.1 min (2015-2019) → 31.2 min (2020-2024)
+63%5 yearsCensus table B08013US 26.9 min → 26.4 min
Child poverty rateImproving
11.8% (2015-2019) → 2.4% (2020-2024)
−9.4 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, State Center, Iowa improved on 2 of 10 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 8 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved2

Bachelor's++17 points16.0% → 33.5%
Broadband+16 points73.0% → 89.2%

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 10 measures

Change of every measure of State Center, Iowa between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	19.1 min2015-2019	31.2 min2020-2024	+12.1 min	Within the margin of error	1%
Bachelor's degree or higher	16.0%2015-2019	33.5%2020-2024	+17 points	Improved	98%
Broadband subscriptions	73.0%2015-2019	89.2%2020-2024	+16 points	Improved	83%
Effective property tax rate	1.44%2015-2019	1.20%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	65%
High school diploma or higher	93.0%2015-2019	93.6%2020-2024	+0.6 points	Within the margin of error	41%
Home price to income ratio	1.9×2015-2019	2.0×2020-2024	+0.1×	Within the margin of error	72%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.3332015-2019	0.3942020-2024	+0.061	Within the margin of error	13%
Median household income	$63,3752015-2019	$83,9422020-2024	+32%	Within the margin of error	61%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent as share of income	19.2%2015-2019	17.7%2020-2024	−1.5 points	Within the margin of error	66%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like State Center, Iowa five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of State Center, Iowa in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, State Center, Iowa itself moved −3.9 points in standing on average over the same 9 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

1,412 residents (±274)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Under 10 men (−9.1 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

1,412 residents (±274)

State Center, Iowa
Iowa share

White90%1,272
Black0.0%0
Hispanic or Latino6.7%†95

Education

923 residents (±157)

State Center, Iowa
Iowa share

No high school diploma6.4%†59
High school or GED34%313
Some college13%†118

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

583 households (±105)

State Center, Iowa
Iowa share

Under $25k10%†60
$25k–50k24%†139
$50k–75k14%†81
$75k–100k11%†64
$100k–150k28%†166
$150k–200k6.3%†37
$200k or more6.2%†36

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $50k–75k (−9.8 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

583 households (±105)

State Center, Iowa
Iowa share

Own82%480
Rent18%†103

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+10.0 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

97 households (±53)

State Center, Iowa
Iowa share

Under $75046%†45
$750–1,00014%†14
$1,000–1,50035%†34

Home values

480 homes (±88)

State Center, Iowa
Iowa share

Under $150k36%†174
$150k–250k44%†212
$250k–400k17%†80

Age of homes

629 homes (±108)

State Center, Iowa
Iowa share

2010 or later4.0%†25
2000–20099.4%†59
1980–199910%†65

Size of homes

629 homes (±108)

State Center, Iowa
Iowa share

Studio1.1%†7
1 bedroom10%†66
2 bedrooms27%†167

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

766 workers (±172)

State Center, Iowa
Iowa share

Drive alone74%566
Carpool5.9%†45
Public transit0.0%0
Walk2.0%†15
Bike0.0%0
Work from home18%†140
Other0.0%0

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Work from home (+17.0 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

626 workers (±152)

State Center, Iowa
Iowa share

Under 15 min19%†117
15–29 min45%†281
30–44 min19%†122

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Marshalltown, IA

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Marshall County, the county holding most of State Center's residents.

Marshall County has 786 employer establishments, 196 for every 10,000 residents (0.79× the US rate of 248; 0.76× Iowa's), with 13,187 paid employees at an average annual pay of $51,421. The Census Bureau also counts 2,132 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 786; 2,132 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 196; US 248 · Iowa 259
Paid employees: 13,187
Average annual pay: $51,421; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Marshall County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	68	17	1.10×About typical	266	$64,248	194
Ambulatory health care services	57	14.2	0.68×Fewer than typical	621	$76,441	47
Restaurants and other eating places	46	11.5	0.62×Fewer than typical	940	$17,277	12
Religious organizations	37	9.2	1.66×More than typical	183	$19,727	—
Full-service restaurants	24	6	0.78×Fewer than typical	417	$16,367	4
Lessors of real estate	24	6	0.49×Fewer than typical	612	$49,658	195
Automotive repair and maintenance	22	5.5	1.09×About typical	102	$49,245	43
Insurance agencies and brokerages	21	5.2	1.19×About typical	84	$61,250	34
Truck transportation	21	5.2	1.04×About typical	120	$57,667	64
Building equipment contractors	20	5	0.83×About typical	137	$57,825	37
Foundation, structure and building exterior contractors	20	5	1.58×More than typical	47	$63,000	51
Limited-service restaurants	20	5	0.62×Fewer than typical	483	$18,166	5

Rank places for an industry Open Marshall County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 40,087 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $0 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in State Center, Iowa: $0 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $0; −100% vs FY2025
Per resident: $0; US $1,994
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

1.4KFY2017
1.2KFY2018
3.5KFY2019
2.1KFY2020
2.5KFY2021
1.6KFY2022
6.5KFY2023
5.6KFY2024
2.9KFY2025

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in State Center, Iowa, so they do not add up across cities.

State Center, Iowa's figures are part of those of Marshall County, IA ($1M in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: State Center is mostly in Marshall County.

See federal money in Marshall County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

State Center, Iowa is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Randy FeenstraR-IA-4 · 100% of residentsWith party 97%Missed 1.6%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Marshall County67100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Marshalltown, IA68

Other cities and towns in Marshall County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/1975135