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.
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:
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 | |
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.
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 |