2025 Compare Cities Overview:
East Lansing, MI vs Ottumwa, IA

Change Cities
Highlights
Are people in Ottumwa older or younger than people in East Lansing?
- The Median Age in Ottumwa is 16.3 years older than in East Lansing.

Are housing costs cheaper in Ottumwa or East Lansing?
- Ottumwa housing costs are 63.0% less expensive than East Lansing housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Ottumwa or East Lansing?
- The average commute for residents of Ottumwa is 0.7 minutes longer than it is for residents of East Lansing.

Things to do in East Lansing?
East Lansing MI sits adjacent to Michigan State University’s sprawling campus making it an ideal place for students attending one largest universities in the country boasting more than 50 thousand undergraduate students alone giving East Lansing an estimated 48 thousand permanent residents that call it home throughout the year. Despite its mostly college atmosphere there are plenty more options available ranging from residential housing all around the area perfect suburban settings or urban apartments right on MSU campus itself allowing those to explore different lifestyle choices depending on preferences or budget limitations if any were present at all!

Things to do in Ottumwa?
Ottumwa, IA is a charming city located in Wapello County. With an estimated population of 25,000 people, Ottumwa has something special for everyone. From outdoor activities like fishing and hiking to cultural attractions like the American Gothic House–there's always something new to explore in this lively city. Residents also benefit from easy access to quality public and private schools as well as excellent healthcare facilities. Whether you're looking for adventure or relaxation—Ottumwa has something special for everyone!

 East Lansing, MIOttumwa, IAUnited States
 Population  Unlock25,379329,725,481
 Median Income$41,177  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock37.738.4
 Avg. Home Price$264,100  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock5.2%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time15.63  Unlock26.38
Reviews for East Lansing    4 Reviews

East Lansing is a wonderful, lively, youthful college town that has gotten better over time. You feel the strong Spartan Spirit everywhere as students, alumni and locals  More

   |    Reply

East Lansing is noted for being the home of one of the first Land Grant colleges -- Michigan State University. MSU has an large campus with an enormous area of land  More

   |    Reply

Over 17 years ago

East Lansing is a very pretty town. The town has had frequent problems with student rioters. Overall 60% of the town is composed of students. I would recommend East  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of East Lansing

Reviews for Ottumwa    5 Reviews

Over 12 years ago

Ottumwa has a seemingly high rate of theft-related crimes as well as drug use which I'm sure correlates to the incidences of assault. For a community of 20-30,000, the  More

   |    Reply

Over 16 years ago

ottumwa, Iowa has no diverse culture. It is not very open especially when it comes to branching out to new ideas of others culture...The idea of culture here is the pro  More

   |    Reply

Over 17 years ago

Pros: 1. Extremely low cost of living and housing 2. Affordable place to live Cons: 1. High crime rate 2. Very poor school system 3. Economically depressed 4.  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Ottumwa


Premium Subscription
Includes Cost of Living compares for child care, utilities, transportation, health, taxes, housing for home owners vs renters, weather, insurance premiums and so much more.


The premier source for comprehensive city data for over 30 years.

© Best Places. All rights reserved.