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Marion vs Acaraú

Cost of living, salaries, climate and quality of life compared side by side.

Iowa, USA
View Marion profile
#21 in USA
73
Overall Score
VS
Ceará, Brazil
View Acaraú profile
#119 in Brazil
70
Overall Score
Marion scores higher overall

Score Breakdown

Marion
Acaraú
Livability
82
70
Affordability
80
85
Business
75
60
Growth
77
65

Cost of Living

MetricMarionAcaraúDiff
Average Rent
$1,250$00%
Groceries
$380$133+186%
Utilities
$175$74+136%
Transport
$115$51+126%
Healthcare
$230$100+131%
Monthly Total
$2,150$358+501%
Cost Index
9335out of 100

Salary & Income

Marion offers similar average salaries.
MetricMarionAcaraú
Average Salary
$68,000$0
Salary Needed
$52,000$0

Climate Comparison

Marion runs warmer on average — a 50.9°F difference year-round. For sunshine, Marion comes out ahead with 265 more sunny days per year, which can meaningfully impact mood and outdoor lifestyle. Winter severity differs too — Marion sees 24 more inches of snowfall annually.
MetricMarionAcaraú
Avg Temp
50.90°F°F
Summer High
81.70°F°F
Winter Low
14.40°F°F
Rainfall
35.10 in in
Snowfall
24.00 in in
Sunny Days
265
Humidity
68.00%%

Commute & Transport

Acaraú has the shorter commute — saving residents roughly 10,000 minutes (167 hours) per year compared to Marion. Marion scores higher for public transit, making it the better choice for car-free living. For walkability, Marion leads — a better score here means more amenities reachable on foot.
MetricMarionAcaraú
Commute Time
20 min min
Transit Score
35.0/100—
Walkability
48.0/100—
Traffic Index
38.00
Car Dependency
HighMedium

Economy & Demographics

Acaraú is the larger city — approximately 0.6x the population of Marion. From a growth perspective, Marion is expanding faster, signaling stronger demand for housing, jobs, and services. On the employment side, Marion has a lower unemployment rate, reflecting a tighter and more competitive job market.
MetricMarionAcaraú
Population
42,00069,317
Pop. Growth
1.50%1.05%
Median Age
38.5
Unemployment
3.20%5.97%
GDP
—$0.2B

Pros & Cons

Marion
Advantages
Median home prices and overall cost of living remain below the national average per Census and Zillow data.
Exceptional public school performance across the Marion Independent and Linn-Mar Community School Districts.
Consistently low crime rates and high community safety rankings relative to national standards.
Robust local economy anchored by the Cedar Rapids metropolitan employment and industrial base.
Extensive park system and growing recreational trail network, including the CeMar Trail connection.
Drawbacks
Public transportation options are limited, resulting in a high reliance on personal automobiles.
Iowa state property tax rates can be relatively high for homeowners compared to other states.
Winter weather conditions bring cold temperatures and significant snowfall averaging 24 inches annually.
Housing inventory for first-time buyers can experience tight competition during peak spring and summer markets.
Limited late-night entertainment and nightlife options compared to larger metropolitan centers.
Acaraú
Advantages
Acaraú is a major producer of lobster and shrimp in Brazil, indicating a strong fishing and aquaculture industry.
The city boasts beautiful natural beaches like Praia da Barrinha, Praia de Arpoeiras, and Volta do Rio, attracting tourists and offering recreational opportunities.
Tourism is a growing sector, particularly for water sports like kitesurfing, benefiting from consistent strong winds.
The cost of living in Acaraú is relatively low, aligning with Ceará being one of the most affordable states in Brazil.
The municipality is experiencing economic modernization and growth, driven by diverse sectors including services, commerce, and renewable energy.
Drawbacks
Specific, recent data (2024+) for several key metrics like median household income, average rent, unemployment rate, and median age is not readily available, indicating potential data transparency or collection challenges for the city.
The GDP per capita of Acaraú (USD 3,745.09 in 2023) is lower than the state average for Ceará (R$ 26,400 or approx. USD 5,160 in 2023), suggesting a lower average income level.
Detailed information on public transit scores, walkability, and traffic index is not available, making it difficult to assess urban mobility comprehensively.
While healthcare facilities exist, specific quality scores for healthcare in Acaraú are not publicly documented.
The economy, while diversifying, still has a significant portion tied to public administration (27.9% of value added), which might indicate a reliance on government employment rather than purely private sector growth.

Dive Deeper

Key figures side by side — see which city wins each category at a glance.

Marion
#21
Iowa, USA
73.2 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$1,250
Avg Salary
$68,000
Cost Index
93
Commute
20 min
Transit Score
35.0/100
Walkability
48.0/100
Sunny Days
265/yr
Avg Temp
50.90°F
Pop. Growth
1.50%
Unemployment
3.20%
Livability
82
Business
75
View Full Profile
Acaraú
#119
Ceará, Brazil
70.2 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$0
Avg Salary
$0
Cost Index
35
Commute
min
Transit Score
—
Walkability
—
Sunny Days
/yr
Avg Temp
°F
Pop. Growth
1.05%
Unemployment
5.97%
Livability
70
Business
60
View Full Profile

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