Mason City, IA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Mason City, IA Summary
Cost of living in Mason 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 Mason 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 Mason City is 89, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Mason City is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Mason City ranks as the #36 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.
Mason City ranks as the #1,060 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Mason City is $153,972.
The median income in Mason City is $62,369.
Table Of Contents
Mason City's Overall Cost Of Living
Lower Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Mason City, IA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Mason City has an overall cost of living index of 89, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Iowa, Mason City has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Iowa's index of 90.
The standard of living in Mason City ranks as #36 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Mason City ranks as the #49 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.
For more reading on life in Mason City, check out:
In Iowa
In America
Mason City Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Mason City. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Mason City is 102.
The Groceries index in Mason City is 94.
The Health index in Mason City is 102.
The Housing index in Mason City is 64.
The Transportation index in Mason City is 95.
The Utilities index in Mason City is 102.
| Living Expense | Mason City | Iowa | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 89 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 102 | 96 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 94 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 102 | 99 | 100 | |
| Housing | 64 | 75 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 95 | 99 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 102 | 94 | 100 | |
Mason 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 Mason City is $153,972.
The Median Rent in Mason City is $874.
The Median Income in Mason City is $62,369.
The Home Value To Income in Mason City is 2.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Mason City is 0.17x.
| Statistic | Mason City | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $153,972 | $230,258 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $874 | $949 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $62,369 | $73,147 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 2.5x | 3.1x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.17x | 0.16x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Mason City, IA Costs By Category
Detailed Mason City Services Costs Vs. Iowa
| Item | Mason City | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.24 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $10.32 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $10.28 | $18 |
| Haircut | $32.91 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $35.27 | $45.56 |
Detailed Mason City Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa
| Item | Mason City | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.27 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.42 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.56 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.01 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.94 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $9.82 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.74 | $3.7 |
Detailed Mason City Health Costs Vs. Iowa
| Item | Mason City | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $87.93 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $153.18 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $105.03 | $113.29 |
Detailed Mason City Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa
| Item | Mason City | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.39 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $54.83 | $59.92 |
Detailed Mason City Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa
| Item | Mason City | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $209.45 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $187.72 | $192.25 |
Mason City SnackAbility
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