Iowa City, IA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Iowa City, IA Summary
Cost of living in Iowa City 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 Iowa City 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 Iowa City is 106, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Iowa City is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Iowa City ranks as the #80 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.
Iowa City ranks as the #3,278 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Iowa City is $295,887.
The median income in Iowa City is $57,533.
Table Of Contents
Iowa City's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Iowa City, IA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Iowa City has an overall cost of living index of 106, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Iowa, Iowa City has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Iowa's index of 90.
The standard of living in Iowa City ranks as #80 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Iowa City ranks as the #5 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.
For more reading on life in Iowa City, check out:
In Iowa
In America
Iowa City Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Iowa City. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Iowa City is 100.
The Groceries index in Iowa City is 96.
The Health index in Iowa City is 94.
The Housing index in Iowa City is 118.
The Transportation index in Iowa City is 103.
The Utilities index in Iowa City is 85.
| Living Expense | Iowa City | Iowa | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 106 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 100 | 96 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 96 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 94 | 99 | 100 | |
| Housing | 118 | 75 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 103 | 99 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 85 | 94 | 100 | |
Iowa City, 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 Iowa City is $295,887.
The Median Rent in Iowa City is $1,094.
The Median Income in Iowa City is $57,533.
The Home Value To Income in Iowa City is 5.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Iowa City is 0.23x.
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Iowa City, IA Costs By Category
Detailed Iowa City Services Costs Vs. Iowa
Detailed Iowa City Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa
Detailed Iowa City Health Costs Vs. Iowa
Detailed Iowa City Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa
Detailed Iowa City Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa
Iowa City SnackAbility
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