Pella, IA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Pella, IA Summary

Cost of living in Pella 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 Pella 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 Pella is 95, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Pella is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Pella ranks as the #59 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.

  • Pella ranks as the #1,954 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Pella is $350,815.

  • The median income in Pella is $81,201.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
95
Pella's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Pella, IA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Pella has an overall cost of living index of 95, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Iowa, Pella has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Iowa's index of 90.

The standard of living in Pella ranks as #59 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Pella ranks as the #26 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Pella, check out:

59 out of 85
In Iowa
1,954 out of 6,489
In America

Pella Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

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

  • The Services index in Pella is 96.

  • The Groceries index in Pella is 100.

  • The Health index in Pella is 95.

  • The Housing index in Pella is 103.

  • The Transportation index in Pella is 90.

  • The Utilities index in Pella is 88.

Living Expense Pella Iowa National Average
Overall 95 90 100
Services 96 96 100
Groceries 100 97 100
Health 95 99 100
Housing 103 75 100
Transportation 90 99 100
Utilities 88 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Pella Cost of Living Vs. IA

Pella, 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 Pella is $350,815.

  • The Median Rent in Pella is $1,041.

  • The Median Income in Pella is $81,201.

  • The Home Value To Income in Pella is 4.3x.

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

Statistic Pella Iowa United States
Median Home Value $350,815 $230,258 $303,400
Median Rent $1,041 $949 $1,348
Median Income $81,201 $73,147 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.3x 3.1x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.15x 0.16x 0.21x
$350,815
Median Home Value
$1,041
Median Rent
$81,201
Median Income

Pella, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Pella Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Pella 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 Pella Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Pella 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 Pella Health Costs Vs. Iowa

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

Detailed Pella Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

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

Detailed Pella Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

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

Pella SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
8
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
4
Safety
8
Amenities
8
Education
8.5
Commute
10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Pella

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

  • Ankeny, IA has a cost of living index of 101, 1.1x Pella.

  • West Des Moines, IA has a cost of living index of 102, 1.1x Pella.

  • Urbandale, IA has a cost of living index of 103, 1.1x Pella.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Pella
Ankeny, IA 70,542 101 1.1x
West Des Moines, IA 69,893 102 1.1x
Urbandale, IA 46,026 103 1.1x
Johnston, IA 24,196 109 1.1x
Altoona, IA 20,592 97 1.0x
Clive, IA 18,776 109 1.1x
Indianola, IA 15,918 90 0.9x
Grimes, IA 15,810 99 1.0x
Norwalk, IA 13,610 99 1.0x
Pleasant Hill, IA 10,796 102 1.1x

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