Jobs, pay and daily life in Muscatine, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Muscatine is a city in Iowa with 23,489 residents. The median household earns $58,117 a year and the median rent is $974 a month, which is 20.1% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Muscatine compares. Among the 60 largest places in Iowa, Muscatine is #24 by population, #53 for household income (#1 = highest), #48 for college degrees (#1 = most), #43 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Muscatine County, is #6 of 99 counties for average pay ($63,594).
Muscatine has 23,489 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.7% of the population of Iowa. It covers 18 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,291 people per square mile. The median age is 37.0, 4% younger than the state median (37.0 against 38.6).
The median gross rent is $974 a month (rent plus utilities), about the same as the state median ($974 against $972). Over a year that is 20.1% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $153,600, which is 2.6 times the median household income ($58,117); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 66.5% of households own their home, 7% below the state average (66.5% against 71.7%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Muscatine County was 3.6%. 61.1% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Muscatine County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 79.6% drive alone, 0.2% use public transit, 2.7% walk, 6.3% work from home. 7.7% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 6% below the state average (7.7% against 8.2%).
21.1% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 33% below the state share (21.1% against 31.4%). 7.2% of residents were born outside the United States, 22% above the state share (7.2% against 5.9%). The poverty rate is 19.1%, 73% above the state rate (19.1% against 11.1%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 76°F (24.3°C), and the coolest is Jan at 22°F (-5.6°C). About 903 mm (36 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (130 mm) and Jan the driest (29 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Rock Island (25 miles, rent 14% lower); Davenport (26 miles, similar rent); Iowa City (29 miles, rent 12% higher); Eldridge (29 miles, similar rent). Rent differences are against Muscatine; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Iowa (226) →State guide: IowaCountry guideMuscatine CountyIowa rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 226 federal postings open in Iowa (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 27.5% |
| Education and health care | 21.4% |
| Retail trade | 11.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.2% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.5% |
| Other services | 5.1% |
| Construction | 4.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.8% |
| Public administration | 2.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.3% |
| Information | 0.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Muscatine lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muscatine County | 42,559 | $3,242 million | $76,179 | 21,234 | 1,233 | $63,594 | -2.4% | 3.6% | 20,223 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 6,989 | 37.8% | $83,975 | 4.01 |
| Retail trade | 1,969 | 10.7% | $32,694 | 0.93 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,744 | 9.4% | $43,659 | 0.57 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,334 | 7.2% | $45,443 | 1.07 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,298 | 7.0% | $17,427 | 0.67 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 951 | 5.1% | $62,324 | 1.06 |
| Professional and technical services | 804 | 4.3% | $87,070 | 0.54 |
| Construction | 699 | 3.8% | $61,180 | 0.63 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 663 | 3.6% | $44,046 | 1.04 |
| Management of companies | 634 | 3.4% | $149,440 | 1.77 |
| Wholesale trade | 446 | 2.4% | $73,490 | 0.53 |
| Finance and insurance | 400 | 2.2% | $68,777 | 0.46 |
| Utilities | 172 | 0.9% | $129,422 | 2.13 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 117 | 0.6% | $19,433 | 0.33 |
| Real estate and rental | 115 | 0.6% | $40,746 | 0.35 |
| Information | 83 | 0.4% | $53,466 | 0.21 |
| Educational services | 67 | 0.4% | $39,185 | 0.15 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 79.6% |
| Public transit | 0.2% |
| Walk | 2.7% |
| Work from home | 6.3% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 7.7% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $58,117 |
| Income per person | $30,853 |
| Median gross rent per month | $974 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.1% |
| Median home value | $153,600 |
| Homeowners | 66.5% |
| Poverty rate | 19.1% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.80%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 37.0 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 89.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 21.1% |
| Born abroad | 7.2% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 61.1% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -5.6 | 22 | 29 |
| Feb | -3.8 | 25 | 37 |
| Mar | 3.3 | 38 | 57 |
| Apr | 10.3 | 51 | 89 |
| May | 16.5 | 62 | 111 |
| Jun | 22.1 | 72 | 130 |
| Jul | 24.3 | 76 | 94 |
| Aug | 23.3 | 74 | 103 |
| Sep | 18.9 | 66 | 85 |
| Oct | 11.0 | 52 | 74 |
| Nov | 3.9 | 39 | 48 |
| Dec | -2.7 | 27 | 46 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Island | IL | 25 mi | 36,151 | $59,041 | $842 |
| Davenport | IA | 26 mi | 100,913 | $66,200 | $978 |
| Iowa City | IA | 29 mi | 75,752 | $58,546 | $1,094 |
| Eldridge | IA | 29 mi | 6,818 | $106,316 | $945 |
| Moline | IL | 30 mi | 42,197 | $67,701 | $900 |
| Bettendorf | IA | 32 mi | 39,647 | $100,495 | $1,187 |
| Coralville | IA | 33 mi | 23,234 | $69,144 | $1,057 |
| Washington | IA | 34 mi | 7,290 | $55,373 | $968 |
| North Liberty | IA | 36 mi | 21,125 | $102,102 | $1,246 |
| Mount Pleasant | IA | 40 mi | 8,951 | $61,042 | $826 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
23,489 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$974 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.1% of the median household income.
$58,117 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.6% (BLS county, Muscatine County (latest month 2026M09)).
Iowa. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.