VarroExplore other towns

Cedar Rapids, IA

Anamosa is part of the Cedar Rapids area. This page covers the whole metro.

Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Cedar Rapids

Coe College
Coe College · Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
Bohemian Commercial Historic Distric
Bohemian Commercial Historic Distric · Photo: ArtisticAbode, CC BY-SA 3.0
Brucemore
Brucemore · Photo: ArtisticAbode, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cedar Rapids Mays Island
Cedar Rapids Mays Island · Photo: Davumaya, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cedar Rapids Transit
Cedar Rapids Transit · Photo: JLiu1596, CC BY-SA 4.0
Dairy Queen, Cedar Rapids, June
Dairy Queen, Cedar Rapids, June · Photo: en:User:Interiority, CC BY-SA 3.0
Downtown Cedar Rapids
Downtown Cedar Rapids · Photo: Davumaya, CC BY-SA 3.0
Guaranty Bank & Trust Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Guaranty Bank & Trust Cedar Rapids, Iowa · Photo: ArtisticAbode, CC BY-SA 3.0
Image of St. Paul's United Methodist Church taken across Ave SE in
Image of St. Paul's United Methodist Church taken across Ave SE in · Photo: RockLaura, CC BY-SA 3.0
Linn County Courthouse
Linn County Courthouse · Photo: WeaponizingArchitecture, CC BY-SA 4.0
Mother Mosque
Mother Mosque · Photo: ArtisticAbode, CC BY-SA 3.0
National Czech and Slovak Museum Library
National Czech and Slovak Museum Library · Photo: ArtisticAbode, CC BY-SA 3.0
More towns near Cedar Rapids
Ranks the towns around it by your budget and what you love doing.
Cedar Rapids hasn't been added yet

Sign in (free) to add it. It takes about a minute, and then anyone can read it.

Where it is
Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids in Iowa
Iowa in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of the center of the Cedar Rapids area.

17
grocery stores
182
restaurants
16
coffee shops
91
parks
167
playgrounds
6
libraries
2
movie theaters
8
live theaters
8
museums
8
bookstores
11
gyms
24
bars
14
pharmacies
2
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of the Cedar Rapids area.

Bike lanes and bike paths
104 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
418 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 27,239 rented homes in the Cedar Rapids area, 96% rent for under $2,000 a month and 98% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 59%
$1,000 to $1,499: 29%
$1,500 to $1,999: 8%
$2,000 to $2,499: 1%
$2,500 to $2,999: 0%
$3,000 or more: 2%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in the Cedar Rapids area rents for under $1,000 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about under $2,000 before you get the keys.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Your first weeks in Iowa

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Iowa DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Iowa voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

Coe College
Coe College · Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0

10 public school districts in this county, with about 35,578 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Cedar Rapids Comm School District · Cedar Rapids
15,564 students · 14.9 students per teacher · 33 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
College Comm School District · Cedar Rapids
5,740 students · 15.5 students per teacher · 10 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Linn-Mar Comm School District · Marion
7,690 students · 14.8 students per teacher · 12 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Marion Independent School District · Marion
2,229 students · 12.8 students per teacher · 6 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Mount Vernon Comm School District · Mount Vernon
1,402 students · 14.8 students per teacher · 3 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Iowa keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Search licensed childcare in Iowa →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

4 colleges in the county around Cedar Rapids. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

Kirkwood Community College · Cedar Rapids
Public, 2-year (community college) · 12,660 students · $5,980 in-state, $7,968 out-of-state
Mount Mercy University · Cedar Rapids
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 1,451 students · $39,070 a year
Coe College · Cedar Rapids
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 1,278 students · $52,576 a year
Cornell College · Mount Vernon
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 1,084 students · $50,634 a year

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$245,444
What a typical home sells for across the Cedar Rapids area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Cost of living
About 11% below the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $89 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 89 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Drive to the nearest big job hub
About 3 hr 49 min at rush hour
To downtown Chicago, IL, 246 miles. About 3 hr 45 min with no traffic.
Source: Google traffic estimate for a weekday morning around 8am
Average commute
20 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Data centers nearby
None within 15 miles
No mapped data center buildings near the town center.
Source: PNNL IM3 Data Center Atlas, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL), loaded July 2026
Homeowners insurance
About $2,902 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in IA. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively High
Hail is a real cost here: roof claims are common and some insurers charge a separate, higher deductible for wind and hail. Covered parking helps protect a car.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
2 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
12.1 per 100,000 people a year
28 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. IA average: 10.5 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$76,421
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
1.66% of home value a year
About $1,660 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Flat 3.80%
IA's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

More towns in Iowa →