Living in Council Bluffs, IA
Suburb in Iowa
Council Bluffs is a suburb in Iowa, home to about 63,000 people, with 754,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly houses.
Is Council Bluffs a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Strong healthcare: 8 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Dog-friendly: 12 dog parks within 9 mi
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $241k and rents for $1,810 a month
- Easy flying: OMA is 5 mi away
👎 Cons
- Smaller job market: about 754,000 people live within 31 mi
- Higher taxes: about $1,192 state income tax per resident, 1.8% property tax
- Fewer graduates: 22% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Council Bluffs ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Council Bluffs: common questions
What is the cost of living in Council Bluffs?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $241k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,810 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 92, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Council Bluffs?
Iowa collects about $1,192 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.8% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Council Bluffs safe?
Violent crime is well above the national rate (2.1× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Council Bluffs?
Council Bluffs has cold winters: winter days average around 37°F and summer days around 86°F, with roughly 27″ of snow a year.
Does Council Bluffs get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding and tornadoes: 12 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.4 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Council Bluffs?
The nearest major airport is OMA, about 5 mi away.
How Council Bluffs scores
Each bar compares Council Bluffs with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is Council Bluffs right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.