Red Oak, IA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Red Oak, IA Summary

Cost of living in Red Oak 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 Red Oak 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 Red Oak is 81, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Red Oak ranks as the #4 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.

  • Red Oak ranks as the #158 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Red Oak is $132,049.

  • The median income in Red Oak is $52,996.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
81
Red Oak's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Red Oak, IA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Red Oak has an overall cost of living index of 81, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Red Oak ranks as #4 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Red Oak ranks as the #81 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Red Oak, check out:

4 out of 85
In Iowa
158 out of 6,489
In America

Red Oak Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

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

  • The Services index in Red Oak is 95.

  • The Groceries index in Red Oak is 99.

  • The Health index in Red Oak is 89.

  • The Housing index in Red Oak is 52.

  • The Transportation index in Red Oak is 100.

  • The Utilities index in Red Oak is 97.

Living Expense Red Oak Iowa National Average
Overall 81 90 100
Services 95 96 100
Groceries 99 97 100
Health 89 99 100
Housing 52 75 100
Transportation 100 99 100
Utilities 97 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Red Oak Cost of Living Vs. IA

Red Oak, 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 Red Oak is $132,049.

  • The Median Rent in Red Oak is $768.

  • The Median Income in Red Oak is $52,996.

  • The Home Value To Income in Red Oak is 2.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Red Oak is 0.17x.

Statistic Red Oak Iowa United States
Median Home Value $132,049 $230,258 $303,400
Median Rent $768 $949 $1,348
Median Income $52,996 $73,147 $78,538
Home Value To Income 2.5x 3.1x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.17x 0.16x 0.21x
$132,049
Median Home Value
$768
Median Rent
$52,996
Median Income

Red Oak, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Red Oak Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Red Oak Iowa
Shampoo $1.23 $1.28
Movie $12.12 $12.13
Bowling $18.36 $18
Haircut $23.69 $24.26
Beauty Salon $32.5 $45.56

Detailed Red Oak Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Red Oak Iowa
Ground Beef $6.11 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.4 $1.57
Milk $4.67 $4.67
Potatoes $4.5 $4.93
Pizza $11.19 $12.09
Beer $9.76 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.71 $3.7

Detailed Red Oak Health Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Red Oak Iowa
Optometrist $123.1 $125.68
Doctor $135.27 $135.78
Dentist $90.11 $113.29

Detailed Red Oak Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Red Oak Iowa
Gasoline $3.22 $3.46
Tire Balancing $68.12 $59.92

Detailed Red Oak Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Red Oak Iowa
All Electricity $174.82 $193.99
Phone $200.78 $192.25

Red Oak SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
4
Affordability
9
Diversity
5
Safety
6
Amenities
8
Education
6
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Red Oak

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

  • Bellevue, NE has a cost of living index of 96, 1.2x Red Oak.

  • Bartlett, IL has a cost of living index of 122, 1.5x Red Oak.

  • Papillion, NE has a cost of living index of 100, 1.2x Red Oak.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Red Oak
Bellevue, NE 64,355 96 1.2x
Bartlett, IL 40,531 122 1.5x
Papillion, NE 24,063 100 1.2x
Chalco, NE 10,625 95 1.2x
Maryville, MO 10,556 89 1.1x
Plattsmouth, NE 6,680 91 1.1x
Ralston, NE 6,445 96 1.2x
Glenwood, IA 5,118 94 1.2x

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