Cedar Falls, IA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Cedar Falls, IA Summary

Cost of living in Cedar Falls 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 Cedar Falls 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 Cedar Falls is 92, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Cedar Falls ranks as the #50 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.

  • Cedar Falls ranks as the #1,501 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Cedar Falls is $261,299.

  • The median income in Cedar Falls is $74,165.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
92
Cedar Falls's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Cedar Falls, IA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Cedar Falls has an overall cost of living index of 92, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Cedar Falls ranks as #50 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Cedar Falls ranks as the #35 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Cedar Falls, check out:

50 out of 85
In Iowa
1,501 out of 6,489
In America

Cedar Falls Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

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

  • The Services index in Cedar Falls is 80.

  • The Groceries index in Cedar Falls is 94.

  • The Health index in Cedar Falls is 102.

  • The Housing index in Cedar Falls is 106.

  • The Transportation index in Cedar Falls is 94.

  • The Utilities index in Cedar Falls is 84.

Living Expense Cedar Falls Iowa National Average
Overall 92 90 100
Services 80 96 100
Groceries 94 97 100
Health 102 99 100
Housing 106 75 100
Transportation 94 99 100
Utilities 84 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Cedar Falls Cost of Living Vs. IA

Cedar Falls, 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 Cedar Falls is $261,299.

  • The Median Rent in Cedar Falls is $1,177.

  • The Median Income in Cedar Falls is $74,165.

  • The Home Value To Income in Cedar Falls is 3.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Cedar Falls is 0.19x.

Statistic Cedar Falls Iowa United States
Median Home Value $261,299 $230,258 $303,400
Median Rent $1,177 $949 $1,348
Median Income $74,165 $73,147 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.5x 3.1x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.16x 0.21x
$261,299
Median Home Value
$1,177
Median Rent
$74,165
Median Income

Cedar Falls, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Cedar Falls Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Cedar Falls Iowa
Shampoo $1.23 $1.28
Movie $12.84 $12.13
Bowling $11.5 $18
Haircut $19.76 $24.26
Beauty Salon $29.46 $45.56

Detailed Cedar Falls Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Cedar Falls Iowa
Ground Beef $5.96 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.41 $1.57
Milk $4.8 $4.67
Potatoes $4.85 $4.93
Pizza $10.99 $12.09
Beer $9.73 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.8 $3.7

Detailed Cedar Falls Health Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Cedar Falls Iowa
Optometrist $159.2 $125.68
Doctor $151.67 $135.78
Dentist $100.97 $113.29

Detailed Cedar Falls Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Cedar Falls Iowa
Gasoline $3.4 $3.46
Tire Balancing $53.77 $59.92

Detailed Cedar Falls Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Cedar Falls Iowa
All Electricity $147.73 $193.99
Phone $187.56 $192.25

Cedar Falls SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
8
Affordability
8
Diversity
6
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8.5
Education
9
Commute
9.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Cedar Falls

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

  • Waterloo, IA has a cost of living index of 83, 0.9x Cedar Falls.

  • Marshalltown, IA has a cost of living index of 88, 1.0x Cedar Falls.

  • La Porte, IN has a cost of living index of 83, 0.9x Cedar Falls.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Cedar Falls
Waterloo, IA 66,947 83 0.9x
Marshalltown, IA 27,491 88 1.0x
La Porte, IN 22,125 83 0.9x
Waverly, IA 10,446 91 1.0x
Independence, IA 6,149 81 0.9x
Oelwein, IA 5,878 77 0.8x
Iowa Falls, IA 5,062 86 0.9x

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