Creston, IA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Creston, IA Summary

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.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
82
Creston's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Creston, IA?

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:

6 out of 85
In Iowa
221 out of 6,489
In America

Creston Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

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
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Creston Cost of Living Vs. IA

Creston, 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 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.

Statistic Creston Iowa United States
Median Home Value $151,295 $230,258 $303,400
Median Rent $672 $949 $1,348
Median Income $50,752 $73,147 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.0x 3.1x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.16x 0.16x 0.21x
$151,295
Median Home Value
$672
Median Rent
$50,752
Median Income

Creston, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Creston Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Creston Iowa
Shampoo $1.35 $1.28
Movie $11.17 $12.13
Bowling $20.87 $18
Haircut $20.63 $24.26
Beauty Salon $41.0 $45.56

Detailed Creston Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Creston Iowa
Ground Beef $6.36 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.38 $1.57
Milk $4.82 $4.67
Potatoes $4.81 $4.93
Pizza $11.84 $12.09
Beer $9.82 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.69 $3.7

Detailed Creston Health Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Creston Iowa
Optometrist $125.17 $125.68
Doctor $129.05 $135.78
Dentist $96.6 $113.29

Detailed Creston Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Creston Iowa
Gasoline $3.19 $3.46
Tire Balancing $52.49 $59.92

Detailed Creston Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Creston Iowa
All Electricity $154.71 $193.99
Phone $186.87 $192.25

Creston SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
4
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
5
Safety
5
Amenities
8
Education
7
Commute
10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Creston

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

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