Charles City, IA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-23

Cost Of Living In Charles City, IA Summary

Cost of living in Charles City 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 Charles City 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 Charles City is 86, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Charles City ranks as the #21 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.

  • Charles City ranks as the #639 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Charles City is $137,815.

  • The median income in Charles City is $56,734.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
86
Charles City's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Charles City, IA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Charles City has an overall cost of living index of 86, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Iowa, Charles City has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Iowa's index of 91.

The standard of living in Charles City ranks as #21 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Charles City ranks as the #64 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Charles City, check out:

21 out of 85
In Iowa
639 out of 6,489
In America

Charles City Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

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

  • The Services index in Charles City is 99.

  • The Groceries index in Charles City is 97.

  • The Health index in Charles City is 101.

  • The Housing index in Charles City is 54.

  • The Transportation index in Charles City is 94.

  • The Utilities index in Charles City is 104.

Living Expense Charles City Iowa National Average
Overall 86 91 100
Services 99 97 100
Groceries 97 97 100
Health 101 98 100
Housing 54 75 100
Transportation 94 100 100
Utilities 104 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Charles City Cost of Living Vs. IA

Charles City, 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 Charles City is $137,815.

  • The Median Rent in Charles City is $628.

  • The Median Income in Charles City is $56,734.

  • The Home Value To Income in Charles City is 2.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Charles City is 0.13x.

Statistic Charles City Iowa United States
Median Home Value $137,815 $230,258 $303,400
Median Rent $628 $949 $1,348
Median Income $56,734 $73,147 $78,538
Home Value To Income 2.4x 3.1x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.13x 0.16x 0.21x
$137,815
Median Home Value
$628
Median Rent
$56,734
Median Income

Charles City, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Charles City Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Charles City Iowa
Shampoo $1.24 $1.28
Movie $10.32 $12.13
Bowling $10.28 $18.0
Haircut $32.91 $24.26
Beauty Salon $35.27 $45.56

Detailed Charles City Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Charles City Iowa
Ground Beef $5.27 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.42 $1.57
Milk $4.56 $4.67
Potatoes $5.01 $4.93
Pizza $11.94 $12.09
Beer $9.82 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.74 $3.7

Detailed Charles City Health Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Charles City Iowa
Optometrist $87.93 $125.68
Doctor $153.18 $135.78
Dentist $105.03 $113.29

Detailed Charles City Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Charles City Iowa
Gasoline $3.39 $3.46
Tire Balancing $54.83 $59.92

Detailed Charles City Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Charles City Iowa
All Electricity $209.45 $193.99
Phone $187.72 $192.25

Charles City SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
4
Affordability
8
Diversity
7
Safety
7
Amenities
8
Education
6
Commute
10

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