Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Riverside vs Carson

200 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (7.1× in Riverside) and street grid (3.6× in Carson).

×
Riverside, IAA regional job hubIowa · 890 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.

RiversideA regional job hub
Work839 jobsbased in Riverside, a regional job hub Housing$352K typical home47% above the IA typical home HistorySettled in 18721 place on the National Register All about Riverside →
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.

Jobs per worker7.1×
Riverside is more of a job hub
Riverside 1.63Carson 0.23
Street grid3.6×
Carson has the more walkable street grid
Carson 132Riverside 37.0
Growth since 2010+12.4 pts
Riverside has grown faster since 2010
Riverside +6.7%Carson -5.7%
Age 65++7 pts
Carson has more people 65 and up
Carson 23.1%Riverside 16.1%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $620 more a month in Riverside

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.

Riverside$2,300/mo
Typical home $352K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.56% · or rent about $918/mo · Housing →
Carson$1,680/mo
Typical home $261K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.42% · or rent about $744/mo · Housing →

The difference: $620 a month, about $7,500 a year, between Riverside 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.

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
B−RiversideBetter than 47% of districts in the state C+CarsonBetter than 43% of districts in the state
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
RiversideCarson
Snow a year28″28″
January low12°F12°F
July high84°F85°F
Growing season (days)162d174d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)53rd56th
Outdoors & history
RiversideCarson
Trails0 mi0 mi
Conserved land4.9%0%
Settled18721881
National Register places1—
Archive photos6—
Community
RiversideCarson
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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

200 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

RiversideIACarsonIA
Riverside ↔ Carson200 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.

RiversideCarson
People
Population 890Highest 834Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.7%Highest IA: +4.7% -5.7%Lowest IA: +4.7%
Median age 42.6±7.2Highest 10% above IA 41.8±6.5Lowest 8% above IA
Riverside and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 21%±6Lowest IA: 22.9% 23.9%±4Highest IA: 22.9%
Carson and Riverside are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 16.1%±3.2Lowest IA: 18.1% 23.1%±3.2Highest IA: 18.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 27.2%Highest IA: 31.4% 23.8%Lowest IA: 31.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.5%±1.7Lowest IA: 6.2% 3.5%±2.3Highest IA: 6.2%
Carson and Riverside are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $84,091±$13kHighest 12% above IA $73,403±$11kLowest about the IA average
Riverside and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $183,700±$35kHighest 12% below IA $181,400±$14kLowest 13% below IA
Riverside and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $918±$245Highest 6% below IA $744±$190Lowest 23% below IA
Riverside and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,871Highest about the IA average $2,575Lowest 11% below IA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 7.1%±21.1Lowest IA: 43.9% 36.2%±34.8Highest IA: 43.9%
Carson and Riverside are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 2.3%Lowest IA: 11.1% 8.3%Highest IA: 11.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 81.1%Lowest IA: 71.7% 82.8%Highest IA: 71.7%
Typical home builtmedian year 1974Highest 2 yrs newer than IA 1963Lowest 9 yrs older than IA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 33 minHighest 65% above IA 32 minLowest 60% above IA
Work from home 15.9%±7.4Highest IA: 11.3% 9%±3.5Lowest IA: 11.3%
Riverside and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 7.6%Highest 2.4%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 13.8 miLowest 23.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.63Highest 0.23Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Iowa City (25%)Council Bluffs (21%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in CarsonFew work in Riverside
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 4.9%Highest 0%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 37.0Lowest 132Highest
Schools
School district Highland Comm School DistrictRiverside Comm School District
High school in town None in townNone in town
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.

Riverside neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Riverside’s Town Square.

Carson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Carson’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Riverside and Carson

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Riverside

+ Compare
Jewell Junction1,084 people · $148K homes
S
+ Compare
Springville1,172 people · $182K homes
M
+ Compare
Malvern1,323 people · $175K homes
+ Compare
Marcus1,180 people · $200K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Iowa towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.

Post to Riverside

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in