The Cedar Rapids metro is home to 275,960 people (up 2.8% over five years), with a median household income of $77,084. Typical rent of $1,226/month works out to 19.1% of the median household income — comfortably below the 30% affordability threshold (Census ACS + Zillow, September 2026).
The share of Cedar Rapids's workforce by sector — the base of tenant demand:
| Sector | % of workforce |
|---|---|
| Education & health care | 22.9% |
| Manufacturing | 17.0% |
| Retail trade | 11.1% |
| Professional & management | 9.6% |
| Finance, insurance & real estate | 7.7% |
Education & health care is the metro's largest employment base — sectors like education and health care are recession-resilient anchors for rental demand.
Rents at 19.1% of median income leave room for rent growth without pricing out the median tenant. Market pricing, yields and the Star Score live on the Cedar Rapids market page; run a deal in the calculator.
At the 30%-of-income affordability rule, typical rent of $1,226/month suggests a household income around $49,000/year. The metro's median household income is $77,084.
By workforce share: Education & health care (22.9%), Manufacturing (17.0%), Retail trade (11.1%) (Census ACS 5-year).