Mason City, IA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

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 86, 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 #28 cheapest in Iowa out of 80.

  • Mason City ranks as the #938 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Mason City is $114,800.

  • The median income in Mason City is $56,009.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
86
Mason City's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
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 86, 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 89.

The standard of living in Mason City ranks as #28 most affordable out of the 80 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Mason City ranks as the #52 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Mason City, check out:

28 out of 80
In Iowa
938 out of 6,412
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 97.

  • The Groceries index in Mason City is 90.

  • The Health index in Mason City is 98.

  • The Housing index in Mason City is 60.

  • The Transportation index in Mason City is 91.

  • The Utilities index in Mason City is 109.

Living Expense Mason City Iowa National Average
Overall 86 89 100
Services 97 95 100
Groceries 90 98 100
Health 98 99 100
Housing 60 73 100
Transportation 91 98 100
Utilities 109 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Mason City Cost of Living Vs. IA

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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Mason City is $114,800.

  • The Median Rent in Mason City is $782.

  • The Median Income in Mason City is $56,009.

  • The Home Value To Income in Mason City is 2.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Mason City is 0.17x.

Statistic Mason City Iowa United States
Median Home Value $114,800 $160,700 $244,900
Median Rent $782 $845 $1,163
Median Income $56,009 $65,429 $69,021
Home Value To Income 2.0x 2.5x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.17x 0.15x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Mason City, IA
$114,800
Median Home Value
$782
Median Rent
$56,009
Median Income

Mason City, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Mason City Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Mason City Iowa
Shampoo $1.05 $1.06
Movie $9.5 $10.68
Bowling $10.0 $14.67
Haircut $19.56 $18.62
Beauty Salon $24.89 $39.05

Detailed Mason City Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Mason City Iowa
Ground Beef $3.78 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.53 $1.39
Milk $1.88 $2.05
Potatoes $2.63 $3.29
Pizza $12.07 $10.62
Beer $8.53 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.59 $2.34

Detailed Mason City Health Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Mason City Iowa
Optometrist $91.44 $108.57
Doctor $126.17 $116.17
Dentist $93.33 $99.13

Detailed Mason City Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Mason City Iowa
Gasoline $2.01 $2.22
Tire Balancing $45.42 $50.07

Detailed Mason City Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Mason City Iowa
All Electricity $197.53 $167.67
Phone $180.82 $175.64

Mason City SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
5
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
6
Safety
4
Amenities
8
Education
7
Commute
9.5

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