Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Fort Dodge, IA

    Is Fort Dodge a good place to live?

    Watch Fort Dodge

    Fort Dodge ranks #13 of 20 Iowa cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (45/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.2% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $128,900
    +4.3% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $764
    per month
    Household income
    $61,769
    median
    Unemployment
    4.1%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Fort Dodge

    The median home value in Fort Dodge is $128,900 and median rent is $764 a month, against a median household income of $61,769. Homes cost about 2.1× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Fort Dodge crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Iowa the 2025 rate was 238 violent and 1,205 property crimes per 100,000 people — #40 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Fort Dodge, IA

    Fort Dodge has about 24,788 residents, 4.1% unemployment and 15% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Fort Dodge with

    Fort Dodge vs Des MoinesFort Dodge vs Cedar RapidsFort Dodge vs DavenportFort Dodge vs Sioux CityFort Dodge vs Iowa CityFort Dodge vs AnkenyFort Dodge vs West Des MoinesFort Dodge vs Waterloo

    More: Where to move in Iowa · Best counties in Iowa

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report