Council Bluffs is a mid-sized city located in the state of Iowa. The city has a population of 62,326 residents. If we take a look at the last Census, the vast majority of the population falls within one racial group (93% White). Given that fact, Council Bluffs could be considered less diverse than other cities. Not a fan of sitting in traffic? One big advantage of living in Council Bluffs is the reasonable commute times to work. With an average one way commute time of 19 minutes, getting to work is faster than the national average of 26 minutes.
If you’re considering relocating to any new city, it could be a very intimidating task. However, it could also be a good experience if you are willing to get to know the city before actually living in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Using the livability score which includes data from categories like amenities, cost of living, education, employment, you can easily compare the best places to live in Council Bluffs and also determine if there are any nearby cities that might be a better match for your lifestyle. You can also compare Council Bluffs to Iowa and the national average.
Council Bluffs has a livability score of 74/100 and is ranked #315 in Iowa and #6,085 in the USA. If we explore each of the categories on their own, we see that Council Bluffs ranks well for amenities (A+), cost of living (A-) and education (A). There is at least one category that you should be aware of in Council Bluffs. The following was graded with a concerning score: crime (F), weather (D) and housing (F).
Based on the proximity of local amenities like grocery stores, restaurants, coffee shops, parks, librairies, etc., Council Bluffs has received a higher than average score for its local amenities. If you’re planning on relocating and making this area your permanent home, it’s nice to know that there is an ample amount of amenities and things to do within walking distance or a short drive. Here are some of the more popular things to do in Council Bluffs: Harrah's Casino, Union Pacific Railroad Museum, and Ameristar Casino Hotel at Council Bluffs.
Knowing that the Council Bluffs schools rank highly for test scores plays an important factor in deciding if this area is the right place to live. The average school test scores are 69%, which is far higher than the national average.
Council Bluffs real estate prices and overall affordability will play a huge role in determining if the area is the right fit for you. Of course there are probably some other items on your “wish list”, but even before they are considered, let’s take a look at the home prices and affordability in Council Bluffs. The median home price for Council Bluffs homes is $113,500, which is 14.5% lower than the Iowa average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Council Bluffs, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 2.4, which is 0% lower than the Iowa average. Knowing if your home will appreciate on a long term or even a short term basis should be factored into your decision making. An increase in your home’s value can be a good way to generate tax-free equity that can create long term financial security. In the past year, appreciation rates for homes in the Council Bluffs area were 5.1% and 5 year appreciation rates were 2.9%.
| Statistic | Council Bluffs | Iowa | National |
| Average one way commute | 19min | 19min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 83.8% | 80.7% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 9.3% | 8.6% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 1.1% | 1.1% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 1.9% | 3.5% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 2.3% | 4.5% | 4.6% |
| Walk | Bike | Compact | Car | S.U.V. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distance | |||||
| Duration | |||||
| Cost/Month |
Here are the best places to live in Iowa
Check out the 10 safest cities in Iowa
Top 10 best public schools in Council Bluffs
These are the 10 most affordable cities in Iowa