Denison, IA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Denison, IA Summary

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

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

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

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

  • The median home value in Denison is $179,563.

  • The median income in Denison is $63,850.

Table Of Contents

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

What is the cost of living in Denison, IA?

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

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

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

For more reading on life in Denison, check out:

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

Denison Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

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

  • The Services index in Denison is 96.

  • The Groceries index in Denison is 100.

  • The Health index in Denison is 86.

  • The Housing index in Denison is 61.

  • The Transportation index in Denison is 100.

  • The Utilities index in Denison is 98.

Living Expense Denison Iowa National Average
Overall 86 90 100
Services 96 96 100
Groceries 100 97 100
Health 86 99 100
Housing 61 75 100
Transportation 100 99 100
Utilities 98 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Denison Cost of Living Vs. IA

Denison, 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 Denison is $179,563.

  • The Median Rent in Denison is $770.

  • The Median Income in Denison is $63,850.

  • The Home Value To Income in Denison is 2.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Denison is 0.14x.

Statistic Denison Iowa United States
Median Home Value $179,563 $230,258 $303,400
Median Rent $770 $949 $1,348
Median Income $63,850 $73,147 $78,538
Home Value To Income 2.8x 3.1x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.14x 0.16x 0.21x
$179,563
Median Home Value
$770
Median Rent
$63,850
Median Income

Denison, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Denison Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Denison Iowa
Shampoo $1.23 $1.28
Movie $12.12 $12.13
Bowling $18.36 $18
Haircut $23.69 $24.26
Beauty Salon $32.5 $45.56

Detailed Denison Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Denison Iowa
Ground Beef $6.11 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.4 $1.57
Milk $4.67 $4.67
Potatoes $4.5 $4.93
Pizza $11.19 $12.09
Beer $9.76 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.71 $3.7

Detailed Denison Health Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Denison Iowa
Optometrist $123.1 $125.68
Doctor $135.27 $135.78
Dentist $90.11 $113.29

Detailed Denison Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Denison Iowa
Gasoline $3.22 $3.46
Tire Balancing $68.12 $59.92

Detailed Denison Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Denison Iowa
All Electricity $174.82 $193.99
Phone $200.78 $192.25

Denison SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
5
Affordability
9
Diversity
9
Safety
8.5
Amenities
8
Education
4
Commute
10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Denison

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

  • Storm Lake, IA has a cost of living index of 93, 1.1x Denison.

  • Carroll, IA has a cost of living index of 93, 1.1x Denison.

  • Atlantic, IA has a cost of living index of 86, 1.0x Denison.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Denison
Storm Lake, IA 11,275 93 1.1x
Carroll, IA 10,261 93 1.1x
Atlantic, IA 6,773 86 1.0x

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