Oskaloosa, IA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Oskaloosa, IA Summary

Cost of living in Oskaloosa 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 Oskaloosa 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 Oskaloosa is 84, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Oskaloosa is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Oskaloosa ranks as the #11 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.

  • Oskaloosa ranks as the #406 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Oskaloosa is $183,238.

  • The median income in Oskaloosa is $62,172.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
84
Oskaloosa's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Oskaloosa, IA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Oskaloosa has an overall cost of living index of 84, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Iowa, Oskaloosa has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Iowa's index of 90.

The standard of living in Oskaloosa ranks as #11 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Oskaloosa ranks as the #74 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Oskaloosa, check out:

11 out of 85
In Iowa
406 out of 6,489
In America

Oskaloosa Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

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

  • The Services index in Oskaloosa is 96.

  • The Groceries index in Oskaloosa is 98.

  • The Health index in Oskaloosa is 95.

  • The Housing index in Oskaloosa is 60.

  • The Transportation index in Oskaloosa is 93.

  • The Utilities index in Oskaloosa is 87.

Living Expense Oskaloosa Iowa National Average
Overall 84 90 100
Services 96 96 100
Groceries 98 97 100
Health 95 99 100
Housing 60 75 100
Transportation 93 99 100
Utilities 87 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Oskaloosa Cost of Living Vs. IA

Oskaloosa, 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 Oskaloosa is $183,238.

  • The Median Rent in Oskaloosa is $880.

  • The Median Income in Oskaloosa is $62,172.

  • The Home Value To Income in Oskaloosa is 2.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Oskaloosa is 0.17x.

Statistic Oskaloosa Iowa United States
Median Home Value $183,238 $230,258 $303,400
Median Rent $880 $949 $1,348
Median Income $62,172 $73,147 $78,538
Home Value To Income 2.9x 3.1x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.17x 0.16x 0.21x
$183,238
Median Home Value
$880
Median Rent
$62,172
Median Income

Oskaloosa, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Oskaloosa Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Oskaloosa 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 Oskaloosa Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Oskaloosa 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 Oskaloosa Health Costs Vs. Iowa

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

Detailed Oskaloosa Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

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

Detailed Oskaloosa Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

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

Oskaloosa SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Oskaloosa

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Oskaloosa. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Altoona, IA has a cost of living index of 97, 1.2x Oskaloosa.

  • Indianola, IA has a cost of living index of 90, 1.1x Oskaloosa.

  • Newton, IA has a cost of living index of 86, 1.0x Oskaloosa.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Oskaloosa
Altoona, IA 20,592 97 1.2x
Indianola, IA 15,918 90 1.1x
Newton, IA 15,696 86 1.0x
Pleasant Hill, IA 10,796 102 1.2x
Pella, IA 10,624 95 1.1x
Grinnell, IA 9,527 90 1.1x
Fairfield, IA 9,438 90 1.1x
Knoxville, IA 7,493 84 1.0x
Washington, IA 7,314 93 1.1x
Centerville, IA 5,377 81 1.0x

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