There are all types when it comes to being a snob in Iowa. You’ve got your Wine Snobs, Book Snobs, and, of course, Clothes Snobs. Then there are the Technology Snobs, Car Snobs, and yes, even City Snobsas in, I’m better than you because I live in (insert snooty city here).
How can we tell which Iowa cities are the snobbiest? By measuring snobby things, that’s how.
We used Saturday Night Science to look at things like expensive homes, high incomes, and overly educated populations by city in Iowa. These are the criteria you’d argue with a friend over a foodie dinner about who’s snobbier.
After analyzing 78 of the state’s most populous areas over 5,000 people, we came up with this ranking of the ten snobbiest places in the state of Iowa.
The Iowan in these places aren’t snobby, they just know they’re better than you.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
Don’t freak out.
What’s the snobbiest place in Iowa? The snobbiest place in Iowa is Clive based on the data. If we had their wealth and lifestyle, we’d probably be a little snobby, too.
The most laid back? That would be Keokuk.
We’re not so full of ourselves as to make this ranking up from nowhere. So here’s a look at the top ten and more on how we did it. And if you’re curious, Iowa is the 38th snobbiest in the United States.
For more Iowa reading, check out:
The 10 Snobbiest Places In Iowa For 2025
/10
% Highly Educated: 60.0%
Median Income: $131,082
Median Home Price: $379,000
More on Clive: Data
/10
% Highly Educated: 57.0%
Median Income: $106,728
Median Home Price: $328,200
More on Waukee: Data
/10
% Highly Educated: 58.0%
Median Income: $103,430
Median Home Price: $346,200
More on Johnston: Data
4. Tiffin
/10
% Highly Educated: 60.0%
Median Income: $106,034
Median Home Price: $315,800
More on Tiffin:
/10
% Highly Educated: 52.0%
Median Income: $113,086
Median Home Price: $318,800
More on Urbandale: Data
6. Bondurant
/10
% Highly Educated: 54.0%
Median Income: $128,341
Median Home Price: $288,600
More on Bondurant:
7. Asbury
/10
% Highly Educated: 51.0%
Median Income: $130,071
Median Home Price: $312,400
More on Asbury:
/10
% Highly Educated: 53.0%
Median Income: $106,603
Median Home Price: $311,300
More on Ankeny: Data
/10
% Highly Educated: 53.0%
Median Income: $101,089
Median Home Price: $329,400
More on Eldridge: Data
/10
% Highly Educated: 53.0%
Median Income: $103,933
Median Home Price: $300,000
More on North Liberty: Data
Methodology: How we determined the snobbiest cities in the Hawkeye State
Do you think wed just come up with this list willy-nilly? Not a chance – we only use Saturday Night Science around here.
We gathered up all of the places in Iowa with populations of 5,000 people or more. This left us with a total of 78 places. Then, we looked at each place in terms of these snoot-er-iffic criteria (And no, its not a word. English snob.):
- Median home price (Higher is snobbier)
- Median household income (Higher is snobbier)
- Percent of population with a college degree (Higher is snobbier)
Incomes and college education levels come from the American Community Survey. Home prices come from Zillow.
Turned out this simple criteria was much better at sniffing out the snobby places then more snobby criteria like:
- Libaries per capita (Higher is snobbier)
- Museums per capita (Higher is snobbier)
- Private schools per capita (Higher is snobbier)
From there, we ranked each of our 78 places in each category with scores from one to 78. We then averaged each places ranking into one overall score, where the lowest score went to the snobbiest place in Iowa. So lets all flip a table in honor of Clive (with our pinkies up, of course.)
Before you get upset and ruin your blowout or something drastic here, lets remember that this is all in good fun. Would we live in one of these 10 places if we had the chance? Of course, we would.
And it’s not like your real estate agent would ever point out how snobby the town you’re moving to is. We’re here to keep you grounded, even if you’re wearing a monocle.
There You Have It – Now That You’re On Your High Horse
When it comes to snobbery, these places in Iowa are heading ever upward. Residents in these communities are well educated, well paid, and appear to have all the sophisticated culture and entertainment of an Ernst Lubitsch film right at their fingertips.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
The snobbiest cities in Iowa are Clive, Waukee, Johnston, Tiffin, Urbandale, Bondurant, Asbury, Ankeny, Eldridge, and North Liberty.
If you’re also curious enough, here are the most laid back places in Iowa, according to science:
- Keokuk
- Red Oak
- Centerville
For more Iowa reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Iowa
- Cheapest Places To Live In Iowa
- Most Dangerous Cities In Iowa
- Richest Cities In Iowa
- Safest Places In Iowa
- Worst Places To Live In Iowa
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Iowa
Table: The Snobbiest Cities In Iowa For 2025
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Adult Highly Educated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clive, IA | 18,776 | $131,082 | $379,000 | 60.0% |
| 2 | Waukee, IA | 26,974 | $106,728 | $328,200 | 57.0% |
| 3 | Johnston, IA | 24,196 | $103,430 | $346,200 | 58.0% |
| 4 | Tiffin, IA | 5,271 | $106,034 | $315,800 | 60.0% |
| 5 | Urbandale, IA | 46,026 | $113,086 | $318,800 | 52.0% |
| 6 | Bondurant, IA | 8,061 | $128,341 | $288,600 | 54.0% |
| 7 | Asbury, IA | 5,949 | $130,071 | $312,400 | 51.0% |
| 8 | Ankeny, IA | 70,542 | $106,603 | $311,300 | 53.0% |
| 9 | Eldridge, IA | 6,743 | $101,089 | $329,400 | 53.0% |
| 10 | North Liberty, IA | 20,782 | $103,933 | $300,000 | 53.0% |
| 11 | Bettendorf, IA | 39,297 | $102,917 | $295,600 | 51.0% |
| 12 | Adel, IA | 6,259 | $96,905 | $320,500 | 44.0% |
| 13 | West Des Moines, IA | 69,893 | $84,925 | $286,300 | 55.0% |
| 14 | Sergeant Bluff, IA | 5,090 | $122,610 | $287,600 | 40.0% |
| 15 | Grimes, IA | 15,810 | $104,497 | $281,000 | 47.0% |
| 16 | Norwalk, IA | 13,610 | $94,583 | $275,700 | 41.0% |
| 17 | Sioux Center, IA | 8,335 | $87,555 | $275,900 | 41.0% |
| 18 | Coralville, IA | 22,846 | $66,508 | $286,000 | 57.0% |
| 19 | Pella, IA | 10,624 | $81,201 | $259,600 | 48.0% |
| 20 | Windsor Heights, IA | 5,171 | $89,083 | $251,800 | 45.0% |
| 21 | Cedar Falls, IA | 40,662 | $74,165 | $252,500 | 49.0% |
| 22 | Pleasant Hill, IA | 10,796 | $86,890 | $284,100 | 32.0% |
| 23 | Altoona, IA | 20,592 | $87,123 | $257,300 | 33.0% |
| 24 | Ames, IA | 66,112 | $60,102 | $263,800 | 64.0% |
| 25 | Marion, IA | 41,690 | $87,105 | $230,800 | 39.0% |
| 26 | Waverly, IA | 10,446 | $78,429 | $215,200 | 44.0% |
| 27 | Indianola, IA | 15,918 | $78,125 | $228,100 | 34.0% |
| 28 | Spirit Lake, IA | 5,469 | $73,627 | $218,400 | 31.0% |
| 29 | Clear Lake, IA | 7,603 | $70,278 | $235,100 | 30.0% |
| 30 | Decorah, IA | 7,597 | $62,177 | $234,600 | 47.0% |
| 31 | Hiawatha, IA | 7,178 | $67,628 | $210,200 | 33.0% |
| 32 | Grinnell, IA | 9,527 | $64,426 | $191,700 | 41.0% |
| 33 | Nevada, IA | 6,952 | $75,221 | $177,800 | 30.0% |
| 34 | Dubuque, IA | 59,271 | $64,985 | $193,100 | 34.0% |
| 35 | Cedar Rapids, IA | 136,859 | $67,859 | $177,100 | 33.0% |
| 36 | Glenwood, IA | 5,118 | $69,320 | $193,800 | 26.0% |
| 37 | Le Mars, IA | 10,597 | $72,381 | $202,200 | 24.0% |
| 38 | Knoxville, IA | 7,493 | $70,136 | $147,600 | 30.0% |
| 39 | Des Moines, IA | 212,464 | $63,966 | $183,700 | 29.0% |
| 40 | Davenport, IA | 101,083 | $64,497 | $162,900 | 30.0% |
| 41 | Independence, IA | 6,149 | $72,250 | $156,900 | 23.0% |
| 42 | Boone, IA | 12,445 | $67,269 | $156,400 | 26.0% |
| 43 | Carroll, IA | 10,261 | $59,323 | $184,100 | 26.0% |
| 44 | Winterset, IA | 5,384 | $69,268 | $181,500 | 20.0% |
| 45 | Sheldon, IA | 5,386 | $68,448 | $173,600 | 21.0% |
| 46 | Spencer, IA | 11,393 | $57,068 | $178,300 | 28.0% |
| 47 | Fairfield, IA | 9,438 | $48,302 | $152,900 | 51.0% |
| 48 | Council Bluffs, IA | 62,564 | $64,092 | $164,300 | 22.0% |
| 49 | Oskaloosa, IA | 11,492 | $62,172 | $128,900 | 25.0% |
| 50 | Mount Pleasant, IA | 9,093 | $59,216 | $145,600 | 24.0% |
| 51 | Muscatine, IA | 23,567 | $59,332 | $146,900 | 21.0% |
| 52 | Atlantic, IA | 6,773 | $57,486 | $134,900 | 24.0% |
| 53 | Marshalltown, IA | 27,491 | $68,854 | $117,100 | 19.0% |
| 54 | Waterloo, IA | 66,947 | $56,344 | $150,200 | 23.0% |
| 55 | Storm Lake, IA | 11,275 | $58,341 | $163,600 | 19.0% |
| 56 | Algona, IA | 5,414 | $52,542 | $156,200 | 24.0% |
| 57 | Manchester, IA | 5,144 | $58,578 | $130,500 | 23.0% |
| 58 | Denison, IA | 8,247 | $63,850 | $137,600 | 19.0% |
| 59 | Fort Dodge, IA | 24,788 | $61,769 | $128,900 | 20.0% |
| 60 | Washington, IA | 7,314 | $56,536 | $144,500 | 22.0% |
| 61 | Anamosa, IA | 5,553 | $56,167 | $164,900 | 17.0% |
| 62 | Clinton, IA | 24,425 | $57,493 | $115,400 | 22.0% |
| 63 | Newton, IA | 15,696 | $56,321 | $151,600 | 19.0% |
| 64 | Osceola, IA | 5,495 | $62,363 | $145,300 | 12.0% |
| 65 | Perry, IA | 7,928 | $63,983 | $122,100 | 14.0% |
| 66 | Burlington, IA | 23,800 | $55,274 | $115,800 | 23.0% |
| 67 | Creston, IA | 7,466 | $50,752 | $112,600 | 25.0% |
| 68 | Iowa Falls, IA | 5,062 | $53,051 | $106,300 | 22.0% |
| 69 | Ottumwa, IA | 25,352 | $56,994 | $92,400 | 20.0% |
| 70 | Maquoketa, IA | 6,105 | $56,039 | $126,800 | 17.0% |
| 71 | Cherokee, IA | 5,157 | $48,693 | $119,400 | 18.0% |
| 72 | Fort Madison, IA | 10,221 | $49,359 | $95,900 | 19.0% |
| 73 | Estherville, IA | 5,865 | $54,624 | $96,300 | 13.0% |
| 74 | Clarinda, IA | 5,366 | $50,644 | $112,200 | 13.0% |
| 75 | Oelwein, IA | 5,878 | $49,821 | $96,800 | 16.0% |
| 76 | Centerville, IA | 5,377 | $41,472 | $99,000 | 17.0% |
| 77 | Red Oak, IA | 5,542 | $52,996 | $91,600 | 15.0% |
| 78 | Keokuk, IA | 9,748 | $49,340 | $93,700 | 17.0% |
Ummm. . . Windsor Heights has zero art galleries and theaters. Might want to check those “facts.” I am assuming this would disqualify WH from the list now.
It’s the diversity. i live here.
I live in Altoona and pretty much all the suburbs on the west side of Dsm are snobs just saying
Folk’s in Fairfield have their nose’s held so high in the air it’s a wonder the population doesn’t drown when it rains!!!!