Housing and tax tradeoff: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids, Iowa comes out ahead here on rent burden and rent. This only compares rent burden, rent, home price, and estimated state tax burden; it is not a total cost-of-living ranking.
Demand-Backed Comparison
Compare Amherst vs Cedar Rapids on cost, climate, safety, and daily life
People have logged this comparison 4 times on WhyThere. The cards open full city pages. The charts and matrix below are the fast side-by-side read on housing, climate, walkability, safety, schools, parks, and day-to-day tradeoffs.
AmherstCedar Rapids
What Stands Out
A quick read on this comparison
Deterministic summaries based on the data in view.
Biggest tradeoff: Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst, Massachusetts is the sharpest split in this comparison: strong on daily convenience, weaker on sunshine.
Potential dealbreaker: Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst, Massachusetts needs a closer look before you get too attached, especially on rent burden.
Comparison Matrix
| City | ||
|---|---|---|
| Route | ||
| General Info | ||
| Population | 33,389 | 136,929 |
| Center Elevation | 269 ft(82 m) | 810 ft(247 m) |
| Housing & Wealth | ||
| Median Home | $513,575 | $202,097 |
| Median Rent | $3,148 | $1,094 |
| Median Income | $68,427 | $66,895 |
| Rent Burden | 55% | 20% |
| Climate & Risks | ||
| Days with 5+ Hours of Sun | 284 days/yr | 294 days/yr |
| Avg. High | 61°F | 60°F |
| Avg. Low | 42°F | 42°F |
| Comfort Score | 49/100Mixed | 44/100Challenging |
| Temp Swing | 46°F | 55°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53"(135 cm) | 35"(89 cm) |
| Annual Snowfall | 33"(84 cm) | 28"(71 cm) |
| Air Quality | Typical: 392024 modeled avg · 9 days > 100 | Typical: 392024 modeled avg · 0 days > 100 |
| Infrastructure & Lifestyle | ||
| Walkability | 47 | 40 |
| Transit Score | N/A | 24 |
| Safety Score | 77 / 100 | 71 / 100 |
| School Rating | 6.4/10 | 5.9/10 |
| Flood Risk (FEMA) | N/A | minimalMinimal Risk |
| Central Tract Wildfire Risk | N/A | minimalMinimal |
| Internet Access | N/A | Fiber: 12%Cable: 97% |
| Demographics | ||
| Median Age | 21.3 years | 37 years |
| College Educated | 72% | 33% |
| Remote Workers | 17% | 11% |
| Nature Access | ||
| Local Nature & Reserves | Finding... | Finding... |
| Scouting & Local Help | ||
Housing and local helpA practical next step once someone starts picturing the move. | Featured Local Partner ADRealtor Realtor spot available For an agent, brokerage, or relocation team that can answer housing questions in Amherst. One featured slot per city | Featured Local Partner ADRealtor Realtor spot available For an agent, brokerage, or relocation team that can answer housing questions in Cedar Rapids. One featured slot per city |
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