Compare towns

Colo vs Carson

121 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (2.4× in Carson).

Colo, IAA small town of 686Iowa · 686 people

Carson, IAA small town of 834Iowa · 834 people

Swap order

Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

ColoA small town of 686

Quiet strengthsColo doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.

All about Colo →

CarsonA small town of 834

Quiet strengthsCarson doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.

All about Carson →

The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Street grid2.4×

Carson has the more walkable street grid

Carson 132Colo 55.0

★ What stands out · Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Iowa ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools

BColoBetter than 55% of districts in the state C+CarsonBetter than 43% of districts in the state

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Colo$1,750/mo

Typical home $269K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.52% · or rent about $950/mo · Housing →

Carson$1,680/mo

Typical home $261K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.42% · or rent about $744/mo · Housing →

The difference: $70 a month, about $800 a year, between Colo and Carson.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

ColoCarson

Snow a year31″28″

January low10°F 12°F

July high83°F 85°F

Growing season (days)170d 174d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)48th 56th

Outdoors & history

ColoCarson

Trails0 mi 0 mi

Conserved land0%0%

Settled1876 1881

Archive photos7 —

Famous people born here2 —

Community

ColoCarson

Library hours a week44 hrs —

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

121 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ColoIA CarsonIA

Colo ↔ Carson121 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Iowa average

ColoCarson

People

Population 686Lowest 834Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -3.5%Highest IA: +4.7% -5.7%Lowest IA: +4.7%

Median age 42.2±6.5Highest 9% above IA 41.8±6.5Lowest 8% above IA

Colo and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 18.1%±4.4Lowest IA: 22.9% 23.9%±4Highest IA: 22.9%

Carson and Colo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 21.1%±4Lowest IA: 18.1% 23.1%±3.2Highest IA: 18.1%

Carson and Colo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 19%Lowest IA: 31.4% 23.8%Highest IA: 31.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.2%±2.5Highest IA: 6.2% 3.5%±2.3Lowest IA: 6.2%

Colo and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $64,000±$26kLowest 15% below IA $73,403±$11kHighest about the IA average

Carson and Colo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $152,000±$22kLowest 27% below IA $181,400±$14kHighest 13% below IA

Carson and Colo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $950±$242Highest about the IA average $744±$190Lowest 23% below IA

Colo and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,310Lowest 20% below IA $2,575Highest 11% below IA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 49%±18.4Highest IA: 43.9% 36.2%±34.8Lowest IA: 43.9%

Colo and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 6.4%Lowest IA: 11.1% 8.3%Highest IA: 11.1%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 83.3%Highest IA: 71.7% 82.8%Lowest IA: 71.7%

Typical home builtmedian year 1959Lowest 13 yrs older than IA 1963Highest 9 yrs older than IA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 30 minLowest 52% above IA 32 minHighest 60% above IA

Work from home 10.1%±5Highest IA: 11.3% 9%±3.5Lowest IA: 11.3%

Colo and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 1.7%Lowest 2.4%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 23.3 miLowest 23.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.29Highest 0.23Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Ames (22%)Council Bluffs (21%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in CarsonFew work in Colo

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 55.0Lowest 132Highest

Schools

School district Colo-NESCO Comm School DistrictRiverside Comm School District

High school in town Colo-NESCO Middle/High SchoolNone in town

Students per teacherat that high school 10.8 —

Iowa average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Colo neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Colo’s Town Square.

Carson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Carson’s Town Square.

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Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Colo vs Carson

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Grades and rankings, side by side

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

121 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

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Towns like Colo

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