Fairfield, IA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Fairfield, IA Summary

Cost of living in Fairfield 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 Fairfield 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 Fairfield is 90, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Fairfield ranks as the #39 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.

  • Fairfield ranks as the #1,206 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Fairfield is $154,939.

  • The median income in Fairfield is $48,302.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
90
Fairfield's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Fairfield, IA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Fairfield has an overall cost of living index of 90, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Fairfield ranks as #39 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Fairfield ranks as the #46 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Fairfield, check out:

39 out of 85
In Iowa
1,206 out of 6,489
In America

Fairfield Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

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

  • The Services index in Fairfield is 97.

  • The Groceries index in Fairfield is 96.

  • The Health index in Fairfield is 102.

  • The Housing index in Fairfield is 67.

  • The Transportation index in Fairfield is 102.

  • The Utilities index in Fairfield is 114.

Living Expense Fairfield Iowa National Average
Overall 90 90 100
Services 97 96 100
Groceries 96 97 100
Health 102 99 100
Housing 67 75 100
Transportation 102 99 100
Utilities 114 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Fairfield Cost of Living Vs. IA

Fairfield, 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 Fairfield is $154,939.

  • The Median Rent in Fairfield is $864.

  • The Median Income in Fairfield is $48,302.

  • The Home Value To Income in Fairfield is 3.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Fairfield is 0.21x.

Statistic Fairfield Iowa United States
Median Home Value $154,939 $230,258 $303,400
Median Rent $864 $949 $1,348
Median Income $48,302 $73,147 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.2x 3.1x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.16x 0.21x
$154,939
Median Home Value
$864
Median Rent
$48,302
Median Income

Fairfield, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Fairfield Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Fairfield Iowa
Shampoo $1.3 $1.28
Movie $9.83 $12.13
Bowling $11.95 $18
Haircut $18.13 $24.26
Beauty Salon $28.0 $45.56

Detailed Fairfield Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Fairfield Iowa
Ground Beef $5.55 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.41 $1.57
Milk $4.72 $4.67
Potatoes $4.74 $4.93
Pizza $12.79 $12.09
Beer $9.83 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.84 $3.7

Detailed Fairfield Health Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Fairfield Iowa
Optometrist $120.5 $125.68
Doctor $171.88 $135.78
Dentist $97.53 $113.29

Detailed Fairfield Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Fairfield Iowa
Gasoline $3.37 $3.46
Tire Balancing $62.78 $59.92

Detailed Fairfield Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Fairfield Iowa
All Electricity $229.59 $193.99
Phone $200.45 $192.25

Fairfield SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
4/10
Housing
6
Affordability
7
Diversity
8
Safety
7
Amenities
8
Education
9
Commute
10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Fairfield

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

  • Ottumwa, IA has a cost of living index of 83, 0.9x Fairfield.

  • Burlington, IA has a cost of living index of 88, 1.0x Fairfield.

  • Oskaloosa, IA has a cost of living index of 84, 0.9x Fairfield.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Fairfield
Ottumwa, IA 25,352 83 0.9x
Burlington, IA 23,800 88 1.0x
Oskaloosa, IA 11,492 84 0.9x
Fort Madison, IA 10,221 84 0.9x
Mount Pleasant, IA 9,093 91 1.0x
Washington, IA 7,314 93 1.0x

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