Carroll, IA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Carroll, IA Summary

Cost of living in Carroll 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 Carroll 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 Carroll is 93, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Carroll is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Carroll ranks as the #54 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.

  • Carroll ranks as the #1,658 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Carroll is $201,719.

  • The median income in Carroll is $59,323.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
93
Carroll's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Carroll, IA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Carroll has an overall cost of living index of 93, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Iowa, Carroll has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Iowa's index of 90.

The standard of living in Carroll ranks as #54 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Carroll ranks as the #31 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Carroll, check out:

54 out of 85
In Iowa
1,658 out of 6,489
In America

Carroll Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Carroll. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Carroll is 100.

  • The Groceries index in Carroll is 97.

  • The Health index in Carroll is 111.

  • The Housing index in Carroll is 76.

  • The Transportation index in Carroll is 98.

  • The Utilities index in Carroll is 94.

Living Expense Carroll Iowa National Average
Overall 93 90 100
Services 100 96 100
Groceries 97 97 100
Health 111 99 100
Housing 76 75 100
Transportation 98 99 100
Utilities 94 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Carroll Cost of Living Vs. IA

Carroll, IA Housing Cost Breakdown

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 Carroll is $201,719.

  • The Median Rent in Carroll is $718.

  • The Median Income in Carroll is $59,323.

  • The Home Value To Income in Carroll is 3.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Carroll is 0.15x.

Statistic Carroll Iowa United States
Median Home Value $201,719 $230,258 $303,400
Median Rent $718 $949 $1,348
Median Income $59,323 $73,147 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.4x 3.1x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.15x 0.16x 0.21x
$201,719
Median Home Value
$718
Median Rent
$59,323
Median Income

Carroll, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Carroll Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Carroll Iowa
Shampoo $1.42 $1.28
Movie $8.29 $12.13
Bowling $20.0 $18
Haircut $24.39 $24.26
Beauty Salon $40.5 $45.56

Detailed Carroll Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Carroll Iowa
Ground Beef $6.53 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.36 $1.57
Milk $4.72 $4.67
Potatoes $5.02 $4.93
Pizza $12.12 $12.09
Beer $9.65 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.81 $3.7

Detailed Carroll Health Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Carroll Iowa
Optometrist $159.11 $125.68
Doctor $176.92 $135.78
Dentist $107.0 $113.29

Detailed Carroll Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Carroll Iowa
Gasoline $3.38 $3.46
Tire Balancing $57.22 $59.92

Detailed Carroll Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Carroll Iowa
All Electricity $182.6 $193.99
Phone $187.02 $192.25

Carroll SnackAbility

8.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
5
Affordability
8
Diversity
4
Safety
8
Amenities
8.5
Education
8
Commute
10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Carroll

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Carroll. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Fort Dodge, IA has a cost of living index of 88, 0.9x Carroll.

  • Storm Lake, IA has a cost of living index of 93, 1.0x Carroll.

  • Denison, IA has a cost of living index of 86, 0.9x Carroll.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Carroll
Fort Dodge, IA 24,788 88 0.9x
Storm Lake, IA 11,275 93 1.0x
Denison, IA 8,247 86 0.9x
Perry, IA 7,928 88 0.9x
Atlantic, IA 6,773 86 0.9x

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