Grinnell, IA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Grinnell, IA Summary

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

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

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

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

  • The median home value in Grinnell is $207,130.

  • The median income in Grinnell is $64,426.

Table Of Contents

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

What is the cost of living in Grinnell, IA?

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

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

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

For more reading on life in Grinnell, check out:

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

Grinnell Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

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

  • The Services index in Grinnell is 97.

  • The Groceries index in Grinnell is 101.

  • The Health index in Grinnell is 93.

  • The Housing index in Grinnell is 81.

  • The Transportation index in Grinnell is 93.

  • The Utilities index in Grinnell is 88.

Living Expense Grinnell Iowa National Average
Overall 90 90 100
Services 97 96 100
Groceries 101 97 100
Health 93 99 100
Housing 81 75 100
Transportation 93 99 100
Utilities 88 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Grinnell Cost of Living Vs. IA

Grinnell, 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 Grinnell is $207,130.

  • The Median Rent in Grinnell is $876.

  • The Median Income in Grinnell is $64,426.

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

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Grinnell is 0.16x.

Statistic Grinnell Iowa United States
Median Home Value $207,130 $230,258 $303,400
Median Rent $876 $949 $1,348
Median Income $64,426 $73,147 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.2x 3.1x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.16x 0.16x 0.21x
$207,130
Median Home Value
$876
Median Rent
$64,426
Median Income

Grinnell, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Grinnell Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Grinnell 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 Grinnell Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Grinnell 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 Grinnell Health Costs Vs. Iowa

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

Detailed Grinnell Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

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

Detailed Grinnell Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

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

Grinnell SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Grinnell

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

  • Des Moines, IA has a cost of living index of 89, 1.0x Grinnell.

  • Ankeny, IA has a cost of living index of 101, 1.1x Grinnell.

  • Marshalltown, IA has a cost of living index of 88, 1.0x Grinnell.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Grinnell
Des Moines, IA 212,464 89 1.0x
Ankeny, IA 70,542 101 1.1x
Marshalltown, IA 27,491 88 1.0x
Altoona, IA 20,592 97 1.1x
Newton, IA 15,696 86 1.0x
Pleasant Hill, IA 10,796 102 1.1x
Pella, IA 10,624 95 1.1x
Knoxville, IA 7,493 84 0.9x
Nevada, IA 6,952 91 1.0x

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