Ottumwa, IA Area Guide

Considering buying a new home?

Access hyperlocal data to help you make a confident and informed decision.

Photo of Ottumwa, IA

( 30 Ratings )

Living in Ottumwa, IA

Ranks better than 77% of areas Follow

Population

Median Age

Ottumwa Area Facts

Ottumwa has a Livability Score of 77_/100, which is considered exceptional
Ottumwa crime rates are 100% higher than the Iowa average
Cost of living in Ottumwa is 5% lower than the Iowa average

Area Score

Is This the Right Place for You?

Local Insights Report

Uncover the key details before you move
Use local data to guide a smarter investment
Compare neighborhoods side by side

Local Insights Report

What do the locals think about Ottumwa?

Family Friendly

Family friendly

Public transit is accessible

Public transit is accessible

Walkable to grocery stores

Walkable to grocery stores

Yards are well-kept

Yards are well-kept

Lots of parks

Lots of parks

Walkable to restaurants

Walkable to restaurants

Friendly neighbors

Friendly neighbors

Safe at night

Safe at night

Pet-friendly

Pet friendly

Streets have sidewalks

Streets have sidewalks

Quite Area

A quiet area

Sense of community

Sense of community

Based on 30 votes from AreaVibes users. Take the poll

Ottumwa Reviews

Write a review about Ottumwa Tell people what you like or don't like about Ottumwa…

Ottumwa, IA: Far From Civilization 3.5 rating By Anonymous ( May 10, 2018) Living in Ottumwa was alright, but it was far from any other big cities and sometimes you feel like you're living in the middle of nowhere. You'll probably be able to find a decent job here, nothing very high-paying but decent. There is also the Indian Hills Community College her ...Read More e if you want to pick up a couple night classes to learn something new.

The Quincy Place Mall is a fun spot and probably the best area in Ottumwa. It has an alright selection of stores and it's right next to Greater Ottumwa Park if you fancy going for a walk.

If you're looking to buy a home here, real estate is very affordable. Some houses in the city are even under $100,000, so you won't have to pay a lot of money for a nice place. Make sure you have your own vehicle too. There isn't any public transportation system in Ottumwa and having your own car makes it a lot easier. Read Less

Show All Reviews

Ottumwa Awards

❰ ❱

Compare Ottumwa, IA Livability

Compare Neighborhoods & Addresses

Local Insights Report

Why stop at city-to-city? With Local Insights, you can compare neighborhoods, zip codes, or even exact addresses. Access 300+ hyperlocal data points—from schools and crime to housing and amenities—to see which area is the better fit.

UNLOCK FULL COMPARISON →

Local Insights Report

C Amenities

Are there many local amenities in Ottumwa? Yes, there are some amenities close to this location.

Parks

Wayside Park

Ballingall Park

War Memorial Park

Central Park

Greater Ottumwa Park

Riverside Park

Hillcrest Park

Caldwell Park

Entertainment

Iowa Heartland History Connection

The Beach Ottumwa

CEC Ottumwa 8 Theatre

Schaefer Stadium

Saint John Auditorium

Marge Dodd Outdoor Stage

Champion Bowl

M113

Food & Drink

Graham's Dairy Freez

Morgan's Corner Bar & Grill

Sonic

Domino's

Owl's Nest

Tom Tom Tap

Polar Xpress

KFC

D- Commute

Is public transit available in Ottumwa? Of all people who commute, 0.9% take public transportation in Ottumwa.

Drive to Work

83%

6% higher than the US average

Take Public Transit

1%

4% lower than the US average

Walk to Work

2%

1% lower than the US average

A+ Cost of Living

What is the cost of living in Ottumwa? The cost of living in Ottumwa is 85/100 - which is 5% lower than Iowa.

15% less expensive than average

10% less expensive than average

National cost of living index

F Crime

What is the crime rate in Ottumwa? Ottumwa crime rates are 3,442, which are 100% higher than Iowa

3,442 per 100k people

51% higher than the US average

Chance of being a victim

51% higher than the US average

Year-over-year crime

Year over year crime is down

D- Employment

What is the median income in Ottumwa? The median income in Ottumwa is $42,418 which is 22% lower than Iowa.

Median household income

$42,41823% lower than the US average

Income per capita

$24,60218% lower than the US average

Unemployment rate

31% lower than the US average

A+ Health & Safety

Is Ottumwa a healthy and safe place to live? Yes, there are many hospitals, police and fire stations.

Hospitals

Ottumwa Regional Health Center

Pharmacies

Hy-Vee Pharmacy

Hy-Vee Pharmacy

Southside Drug

Walgreens

Hy-Vee Drugstore

Doctors

Wolfe Eye Clinic

Ottumwa OB/GYN Clinic

River Hills Community Health Center

Pediatric Associates

River Hills Pediatric Clinic

Haas Medical Plaza

Haas Medical Plaza

A+ Housing

What are Ottumwa home prices? Ottumwa home prices are $75,800 - which is 43% lower than Iowa

Median home value

$75,80059% lower than the US average

Median rent price

$76519% lower than the US average

3% lower than the US average

C+ Schools

Does Ottumwa have good schools? The Ottumwa graduation rate is 79% - which is 10% lower than Iowa

High school grad. rates

5% lower than the US average

School test scores

25% higher than the US average

Student teacher ratio

2% lower than the US average

C- User Ratings

Is Ottumwa a good place to live? Ottumwa has an overall rating of 60% from 30 reviews.

Overall user rating

30 total ratings

User reviews rating

1 total reviews

User surveys rating

29 total surveys