Johnston, IA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Johnston, IA Summary

Cost of living in Johnston 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 Johnston 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 Johnston is 109, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Johnston is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Johnston ranks as the #83 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.

  • Johnston ranks as the #3,556 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Johnston is $398,377.

  • The median income in Johnston is $103,430.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
109
Johnston's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Johnston, IA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Johnston has an overall cost of living index of 109, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Iowa, Johnston has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Iowa's index of 90.

The standard of living in Johnston ranks as #83 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Johnston ranks as the #2 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Johnston, check out:

83 out of 85
In Iowa
3,556 out of 6,489
In America

Johnston Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

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

  • The Services index in Johnston is 94.

  • The Groceries index in Johnston is 99.

  • The Health index in Johnston is 95.

  • The Housing index in Johnston is 139.

  • The Transportation index in Johnston is 90.

  • The Utilities index in Johnston is 85.

Living Expense Johnston Iowa National Average
Overall 109 90 100
Services 94 96 100
Groceries 99 97 100
Health 95 99 100
Housing 139 75 100
Transportation 90 99 100
Utilities 85 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Johnston Cost of Living Vs. IA

Johnston, 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 Johnston is $398,377.

  • The Median Rent in Johnston is $1,288.

  • The Median Income in Johnston is $103,430.

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

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

Statistic Johnston Iowa United States
Median Home Value $398,377 $230,258 $303,400
Median Rent $1,288 $949 $1,348
Median Income $103,430 $73,147 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.9x 3.1x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.15x 0.16x 0.21x
$398,377
Median Home Value
$1,288
Median Rent
$103,430
Median Income

Johnston, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Johnston Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Johnston 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 Johnston Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Johnston 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 Johnston Health Costs Vs. Iowa

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

Detailed Johnston Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

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

Detailed Johnston Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

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

Johnston SnackAbility

9.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
8
Diversity
7
Safety
8.5
Amenities
8
Education
9.5
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Johnston

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Johnston. 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, 0.8x Johnston.

  • Ankeny, IA has a cost of living index of 101, 0.9x Johnston.

  • West Des Moines, IA has a cost of living index of 102, 0.9x Johnston.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Johnston
Des Moines, IA 212,464 89 0.8x
Ankeny, IA 70,542 101 0.9x
West Des Moines, IA 69,893 102 0.9x
Urbandale, IA 46,026 103 0.9x
Waukee, IA 26,974 106 1.0x
Altoona, IA 20,592 97 0.9x
Clive, IA 18,776 109 1.0x
Grimes, IA 15,810 99 0.9x
Norwalk, IA 13,610 99 0.9x
Pleasant Hill, IA 10,796 102 0.9x

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