Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Cedar Rapids, IA

    Is Cedar Rapids a good place to live?

    Watch Cedar Rapids

    Cedar Rapids ranks #7 of 19 Iowa cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (56/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.1% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $177,100
    +5.5% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $925
    per month
    Household income
    $67,859
    median
    Unemployment
    3.9%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Cedar Rapids

    The median home value in Cedar Rapids is $177,100 and median rent is $925 a month, against a median household income of $67,859. Homes cost about 2.6× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Cedar Rapids crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Iowa the 2025 rate was 238 violent and 1,205 property crimes per 100,000 people — #40 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Cedar Rapids, IA

    Cedar Rapids has about 136,859 residents, 3.9% unemployment and 22% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Cedar Rapids with

    Cedar Rapids vs Des MoinesCedar Rapids vs DavenportCedar Rapids vs Sioux CityCedar Rapids vs Iowa CityCedar Rapids vs AnkenyCedar Rapids vs West Des MoinesCedar Rapids vs WaterlooCedar Rapids vs Ames

    More: Where to move in Iowa · Best counties in Iowa

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report