Cost of living in Fort Madison 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 Fort Madison 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 Fort Madison is 84, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Fort Madison is 0.8x lower than the national average.
Fort Madison ranks as the #11 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.
Fort Madison ranks as the #406 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Fort Madison is $108,447.
The median income in Fort Madison is $49,359.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Fort Madison has an overall cost of living index of 84, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Iowa, Fort Madison has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Iowa's index of 90.
The standard of living in Fort Madison ranks as #11 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Fort Madison ranks as the #74 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.
For more reading on life in Fort Madison, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Fort Madison. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Fort Madison is 96.
The Groceries index in Fort Madison is 96.
The Health index in Fort Madison is 104.
The Housing index in Fort Madison is 53.
The Transportation index in Fort Madison is 98.
The Utilities index in Fort Madison is 114.
| Living Expense | Fort Madison | Iowa | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 84 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 96 | 96 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 96 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 104 | 99 | 100 | |
| Housing | 53 | 75 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 98 | 99 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 114 | 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 Fort Madison is $108,447.
The Median Rent in Fort Madison is $824.
The Median Income in Fort Madison is $49,359.
The Home Value To Income in Fort Madison is 2.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Fort Madison is 0.2x.
| Statistic | Fort Madison | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $108,447 | $230,258 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $824 | $949 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $49,359 | $73,147 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 2.2x | 3.1x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.2x | 0.16x | 0.21x |
| Item | Fort Madison | 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 |
| Item | Fort Madison | 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 |
| Item | Fort Madison | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $120.5 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $171.88 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $97.53 | $113.29 |
| Item | Fort Madison | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.37 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $62.78 | $59.92 |
| Item | Fort Madison | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $229.59 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $200.45 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Fort Madison. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Quincy, IL has a cost of living index of 87, 1.0x Fort Madison.
Burlington, IA has a cost of living index of 88, 1.0x Fort Madison.
Macomb, IL has a cost of living index of 87, 1.0x Fort Madison.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Fort Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quincy, IL | 39,188 | 87 | 1.0x |
| Burlington, IA | 23,800 | 88 | 1.0x |
| Macomb, IL | 15,006 | 87 | 1.0x |
| Keokuk, IA | 9,748 | 85 | 1.0x |
| Fairfield, IA | 9,438 | 90 | 1.1x |
| Mount Pleasant, IA | 9,093 | 91 | 1.1x |
| Monmouth, IL | 8,794 | 82 | 1.0x |
| Lewistown, MT | 6,028 | 86 | 1.0x |
| Dallas, NC | 6,012 | 93 | 1.1x |