Indianola, IA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-23

Cost Of Living In Indianola, IA Summary

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

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

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

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

  • The median home value in Indianola is $305,301.

  • The median income in Indianola is $78,125.

Table Of Contents

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

What is the cost of living in Indianola, IA?

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

Compared to Iowa, Indianola has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Iowa's index of 91.

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

For more reading on life in Indianola, check out:

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

Indianola Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

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

  • The Services index in Indianola is 96.

  • The Groceries index in Indianola is 97.

  • The Health index in Indianola is 95.

  • The Housing index in Indianola is 88.

  • The Transportation index in Indianola is 90.

  • The Utilities index in Indianola is 89.

Living Expense Indianola Iowa National Average
Overall 90 91 100
Services 96 97 100
Groceries 97 97 100
Health 95 98 100
Housing 88 75 100
Transportation 90 100 100
Utilities 89 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Indianola Cost of Living Vs. IA

Indianola, 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 Indianola is $305,301.

  • The Median Rent in Indianola is $966.

  • The Median Income in Indianola is $78,125.

  • The Home Value To Income in Indianola is 3.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Indianola is 0.15x.

Statistic Indianola Iowa United States
Median Home Value $305,301 $230,258 $303,400
Median Rent $966 $949 $1,348
Median Income $78,125 $73,147 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.9x 3.1x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.15x 0.16x 0.21x
$305,301
Median Home Value
$966
Median Rent
$78,125
Median Income

Indianola, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Indianola Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Indianola Iowa
Shampoo $1.35 $1.28
Movie $11.17 $12.13
Bowling $20.87 $18.0
Haircut $20.63 $24.26
Beauty Salon $41.0 $45.56

Detailed Indianola Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Indianola 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 Indianola Health Costs Vs. Iowa

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

Detailed Indianola Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

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

Detailed Indianola Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

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

Indianola SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
7
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
4
Safety
5
Amenities
8
Education
8.5
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Indianola

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

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

  • West Des Moines, IA has a cost of living index of 102, 1.1x Indianola.

  • Ames, IA has a cost of living index of 104, 1.2x Indianola.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Indianola
Ankeny, IA 70,542 101 1.1x
West Des Moines, IA 69,893 102 1.1x
Ames, IA 66,112 104 1.2x
Urbandale, IA 46,026 103 1.1x
Waukee, IA 26,974 106 1.2x
Johnston, IA 24,196 109 1.2x
Altoona, IA 20,592 97 1.1x
Clive, IA 18,776 109 1.2x
Grimes, IA 15,810 99 1.1x
Norwalk, IA 13,610 99 1.1x

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