Cost of living in Creston 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 Creston 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 Creston is 82, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Creston is 0.8x lower than the national average.
Creston ranks as the #6 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.
Creston ranks as the #221 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Creston is $151,295.
The median income in Creston is $50,752.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Creston has an overall cost of living index of 82, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Iowa, Creston has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Iowa's index of 90.
The standard of living in Creston ranks as #6 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Creston ranks as the #79 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.
For more reading on life in Creston, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Creston. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Creston is 93.
The Groceries index in Creston is 97.
The Health index in Creston is 96.
The Housing index in Creston is 60.
The Transportation index in Creston is 91.
The Utilities index in Creston is 86.
| Living Expense | Creston | Iowa | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 82 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 93 | 96 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 97 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 96 | 99 | 100 | |
| Housing | 60 | 75 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 91 | 99 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 86 | 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 Creston is $151,295.
The Median Rent in Creston is $672.
The Median Income in Creston is $50,752.
The Home Value To Income in Creston is 3.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Creston is 0.16x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Creston. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Decatur, IL has a cost of living index of 78, 1.0x Creston.
West Des Moines, IA has a cost of living index of 102, 1.2x Creston.
Waukee, IA has a cost of living index of 106, 1.3x Creston.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Creston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur, IL | 70,368 | 78 | 1.0x |
| West Des Moines, IA | 69,893 | 102 | 1.2x |
| Waukee, IA | 26,974 | 106 | 1.3x |
| Clive, IA | 18,776 | 109 | 1.3x |
| Indianola, IA | 15,918 | 90 | 1.1x |
| Norwalk, IA | 13,610 | 99 | 1.2x |
| Atlantic, IA | 6,773 | 86 | 1.0x |
| Red Oak, IA | 5,542 | 81 | 1.0x |
| Winterset, IA | 5,384 | 89 | 1.1x |