Fort Madison, IA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Fort Madison, IA Summary

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.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
84
Fort Madison's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Fort Madison, IA?

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:

11 out of 85
In Iowa
406 out of 6,489
In America

Fort Madison Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

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

Fort Madison, 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 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
$108,447
Median Home Value
$824
Median Rent
$49,359
Median Income

Fort Madison, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Fort Madison Services Costs Vs. Iowa

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

Detailed Fort Madison Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

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

Detailed Fort Madison Health Costs Vs. Iowa

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

Detailed Fort Madison Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Fort Madison Iowa
Gasoline $3.37 $3.46
Tire Balancing $62.78 $59.92

Detailed Fort Madison Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Fort Madison Iowa
All Electricity $229.59 $193.99
Phone $200.45 $192.25

Fort Madison SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Fort Madison

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

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