Cost of living in Boone research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Boone is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Iowa, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Boone is 88, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Boone is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Boone ranks as the #31 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.
Boone ranks as the #912 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Boone is $206,670.
The median income in Boone is $67,269.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Boone has an overall cost of living index of 88, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Iowa, Boone has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Iowa's index of 90.
The standard of living in Boone ranks as #31 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Boone ranks as the #54 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.
For more reading on life in Boone, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Boone. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Boone is 100.
The Groceries index in Boone is 99.
The Health index in Boone is 112.
The Housing index in Boone is 66.
The Transportation index in Boone is 98.
The Utilities index in Boone is 94.
| Living Expense | Boone | Iowa | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 88 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 100 | 96 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 99 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 112 | 99 | 100 | |
| Housing | 66 | 75 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 98 | 99 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 94 | 94 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Iowa, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Boone is $206,670.
The Median Rent in Boone is $791.
The Median Income in Boone is $67,269.
The Home Value To Income in Boone is 3.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Boone is 0.14x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Boone. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Ankeny, IA has a cost of living index of 101, 1.1x Boone.
West Des Moines, IA has a cost of living index of 102, 1.2x Boone.
Ames, IA has a cost of living index of 104, 1.2x Boone.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Boone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ankeny, IA | 70,542 | 101 | 1.1x |
| West Des Moines, IA | 69,893 | 102 | 1.2x |
| Ames, IA | 66,112 | 104 | 1.2x |
| Urbandale, IA | 46,026 | 103 | 1.2x |
| Waukee, IA | 26,974 | 106 | 1.2x |
| Johnston, IA | 24,196 | 109 | 1.2x |
| Altoona, IA | 20,592 | 97 | 1.1x |
| Clive, IA | 18,776 | 109 | 1.2x |
| Grimes, IA | 15,810 | 99 | 1.1x |
| Norwalk, IA | 13,610 | 99 | 1.1x |