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If you work in the Omaha metro and want to live on the Iowa side, Glenwood and Council Bluffs are two of the most common options. They're only about 15 minutes apart on I-29, they share access to the same metro area employers and amenities, and they're both in Iowa (so you get the same state-level homebuyer programs and tax structure). But they feel like very different places to live.
Council Bluffs is a city of roughly 62,000 people with urban infrastructure, multiple school districts, and immediate proximity to Omaha. Glenwood is a town of about 5,200, the county seat of Mills County, with a small-town identity, a single school district, and a quieter pace. The right choice depends on what you're prioritizing: convenience and selection, or space and community character.
This guide compares the two on the factors that matter most to homebuyers: pricing, property taxes, schools, commute, lifestyle, and housing options.
Home Prices and Market Conditions
Council Bluffs has a lower median home price than Glenwood. The average home value in Council Bluffs sits around $197,000 according to Zillow, with a median sale price of roughly $225,000. Homes move quickly there, with many going pending within a few weeks.
Glenwood's median home price is approximately $253,500, with an average around $271,700. That's higher than Council Bluffs, but you get significantly more for your money in terms of lot size, land, and privacy. Homes in Glenwood spend a median of 48 to 60 days on the market, which gives buyers more time to make thoughtful decisions. Our breakdown of what $300,000 buys in Glenwood shows what that price difference looks like in practice.
The key distinction is what you're buying. In Council Bluffs, $250,000 gets you a mid-range home on a standard city lot. In Glenwood, that same budget can get you a well-maintained home on a generous lot near the school, or stretch toward a property with acreage just outside town. Council Bluffs has more inventory and more transactions, which means more options at any given time. Glenwood has fewer listings but less competition for each one.
Property Taxes
This is one of the bigger differences between the two communities, and it's worth understanding before you buy. Council Bluffs sits in Pottawattamie County, where the effective property tax rate is approximately 1.84% for homes within city limits. Glenwood is in Mills County, where the effective rate is approximately 1.36%. On a $250,000 home, that difference translates to roughly $1,200 per year in lower property taxes in Glenwood. Over a decade, that's $12,000. Our property tax guide for Southwest Iowa explains how the rollback, levy rates, and credits work in detail.
Both communities are in Iowa, so you benefit from the same statewide residential rollback (47.43% for FY 2026), the same homestead credit, and the same state-level exemptions. The difference comes from the local levy rates set by each county, city, and school district. Council Bluffs, as a larger city with more infrastructure, has higher local levies.
Schools
Council Bluffs has two public school districts serving different parts of the city. The Council Bluffs Community School District is the larger of the two, with approximately 8,500 students. Niche gives it a C+ rating overall. Proficiency rates are 53% in math and 57% in reading on state assessments. The Lewis Central Community School District, which serves the southern and western parts of Council Bluffs and some surrounding areas, receives a B+ rating from Niche and is consistently ranked among the stronger districts in the metro.
Glenwood has a single school district, the Glenwood Community School District, which receives a B rating from Niche with above-average marks for teachers and extracurricular programs. The high school enrolls about 600 students with a 17-to-1 student-teacher ratio, and state proficiency rates are 71% in reading and 63% in math. The district's smaller size means families typically know the teachers, coaches, and administrators personally.
For families, this is often a deciding factor. If you can get into the Lewis Central district in Council Bluffs, the schools are strong. But much of Council Bluffs proper is served by the C+ rated CBCSD. Glenwood's single district serves the entire town, so there's no school boundary lottery to worry about. You buy in Glenwood, your kids go to Glenwood schools.
Commute to Omaha and Offutt AFB
Council Bluffs has the edge on commute time. Downtown Omaha is about 10 to 15 minutes from most Council Bluffs neighborhoods. Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue is roughly 15 to 20 minutes depending on where you live in the city.
From Glenwood, the drive to downtown Omaha is about 25 to 30 minutes via I-29. Offutt is roughly 20 minutes. That's 10 to 15 minutes more each way compared to Council Bluffs. For some commuters, that's a dealbreaker. For others, the trade-off in home value, lot size, and community feel is worth every minute. Our guide to living near Offutt Air Force Base covers this in more detail for military families.
Both communities sit along I-29, so the commute is highway driving, not stop-and-go city traffic. Remote workers and hybrid commuters increasingly find that the extra 10 minutes matters less when you're only going into the office a few days a week.
Lifestyle and Community Character
This is where the two communities diverge most clearly. Council Bluffs is a small city with urban amenities. It has a casino district, shopping centers, chain restaurants, a YMCA, parks, trails along the Missouri River, and proximity to Omaha's full range of entertainment and dining. There's more to do on any given evening without getting in the car. It also has the challenges that come with a larger population: more traffic, higher density, and more variation in neighborhood quality. Glenwood is a small town. Its downtown wraps around a courthouse square with brick streets, independent shops, and a handful of local restaurants. The Davies Amphitheater hosts a summer concert series. Keg Creek Brewing and Bella Terre Vineyard offer local spots to gather. Youth sports and school events are the social calendar. Our guide to moving to Glenwood covers community life, events, and recreation in detail.
If you want walkable access to restaurants, nightlife, and retail, Council Bluffs delivers more of that. If you want a place where your kids ride bikes through the neighborhood, where Friday night football is a community event, and where neighbors know each other by name, Glenwood is hard to beat. Council Bluffs has more to do. Glenwood is more of a place to be.
Housing Options and Property Types
Council Bluffs offers the widest selection of housing types in the area: single-family homes across a range of ages and styles, condos, townhomes, multi-family properties, new construction in developments on the city's edges, and older homes in established neighborhoods. The inventory is larger at any given time, so buyers have more to choose from.
Glenwood's market is smaller but has something Council Bluffs largely doesn't: acreage. Properties with two to ten or more acres are regularly available south and east of town, often with outbuildings, shops, and views of the Loess Hills. You can also find newer construction in subdivisions like Oak Ridge Park and Whitetail Run, historic character homes near the town square, and family-friendly ranch and split-level homes near the schools.
If you want land, Glenwood wins. If you want selection and variety at the lower price points, Council Bluffs has more options. For buyers specifically interested in building or buying land, our guide to finding land in Southwest Iowa covers the details.
Flood Risk
This is a factor worth mentioning. Council Bluffs has a meaningful flood risk. According to First Street data cited by Redfin, approximately 21% of properties in Council Bluffs are at risk of severe flooding over the next 30 years. Parts of the city experienced significant flooding during the 2019 Missouri River floods, and flood insurance is required for properties in designated flood zones.
Glenwood sits in the Loess Hills at a higher elevation and is not in a major flood plain. While no property is completely immune to water issues, flood risk is substantially lower in Glenwood than in the Missouri River bottomlands that run through portions of Council Bluffs.
So Which One Is Right for You?
Choose Council Bluffs if a shorter commute to Omaha is your top priority, you want more housing inventory and options at lower price points, you prefer urban amenities and walkable commercial areas, you want to be in the Lewis Central school district (check boundaries carefully), or you don't need or want acreage.
Choose Glenwood if you want more house and more land for your budget, lower property taxes matter to you, school quality is a priority and you want one district to plan around, you value small-town community character and a quieter pace of life, you're interested in acreage or rural property close to the metro, or you're a military family who wants affordable housing with a short drive to Offutt and access to Iowa's $5,000 homeownership grant.
Neither choice is wrong. They serve different priorities. And both are on the Iowa side of the river, which means you have access to the Iowa Finance Authority's homebuyer programs regardless of which community you choose.
Ready to Explore Your Options?
At Jim Hughes Real Estate, we've been helping families find homes in Glenwood and across Southwest Iowa since 1973. Whether you're leaning toward Glenwood, exploring Council Bluffs, or still deciding, we can help you navigate the market and find the right fit. Browse our current listings or contact us today to start the conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Glenwood or Council Bluffs closer to Omaha?
Council Bluffs is closer. Most Council Bluffs neighborhoods are 10 to 15 minutes from downtown Omaha. Glenwood is about 25 to 30 minutes. Both communities connect to Omaha via Interstate 29.
Are home prices higher in Glenwood or Council Bluffs?
Glenwood's median home price (approximately $253,500) is higher than Council Bluffs (approximately $197,000 to $225,000). However, Glenwood homes typically come with larger lots, more land, and lower property taxes, so the total cost of ownership can be comparable.
Which has better schools, Glenwood or Council Bluffs?
Glenwood's single school district receives a B rating from Niche with 71% reading proficiency and 63% math proficiency. Council Bluffs has two districts: the Council Bluffs Community School District (rated C+) and Lewis Central (rated B+). Glenwood offers consistency across the whole town, while Council Bluffs school quality varies by neighborhood.
Are property taxes lower in Glenwood or Council Bluffs?
Glenwood has lower property taxes. Mills County's effective rate is approximately 1.36%, compared to Council Bluffs' effective rate of approximately 1.84% in Pottawattamie County. On a $250,000 home, that's roughly $1,200 per year less in Glenwood.
Can I find acreage near Council Bluffs?
Some acreage properties are available in the rural areas surrounding Council Bluffs, but selection is more limited than in the Glenwood area. Glenwood and southern Mills County have a much stronger inventory of acreage properties with two to ten or more acres.
Are Iowa homebuyer programs available in both communities?
Yes. Both Glenwood and Council Bluffs are in Iowa, so buyers in either community have access to the Iowa Finance Authority's FirstHome Program, Homes for Iowans, the $2,500 down payment grant, military homeownership assistance, and USDA rural housing loans (Glenwood qualifies as USDA-eligible; some Council Bluffs areas may not).
