Sheldon, IA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Sheldon, IA Summary

Cost of living in Sheldon 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 Sheldon 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 Sheldon is 85, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Sheldon ranks as the #16 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.

  • Sheldon ranks as the #511 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Sheldon is $213,027.

  • The median income in Sheldon is $68,448.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
85
Sheldon's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Sheldon, IA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Sheldon has an overall cost of living index of 85, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Sheldon ranks as #16 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Sheldon ranks as the #69 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Sheldon, check out:

16 out of 85
In Iowa
511 out of 6,489
In America

Sheldon Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

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

  • The Services index in Sheldon is 93.

  • The Groceries index in Sheldon is 99.

  • The Health index in Sheldon is 101.

  • The Housing index in Sheldon is 73.

  • The Transportation index in Sheldon is 89.

  • The Utilities index in Sheldon is 84.

Living Expense Sheldon Iowa National Average
Overall 85 90 100
Services 93 96 100
Groceries 99 97 100
Health 101 99 100
Housing 73 75 100
Transportation 89 99 100
Utilities 84 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Sheldon Cost of Living Vs. IA

Sheldon, 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 Sheldon is $213,027.

  • The Median Rent in Sheldon is $842.

  • The Median Income in Sheldon is $68,448.

  • The Home Value To Income in Sheldon is 3.1x.

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

Statistic Sheldon Iowa United States
Median Home Value $213,027 $230,258 $303,400
Median Rent $842 $949 $1,348
Median Income $68,448 $73,147 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.1x 3.1x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.15x 0.16x 0.21x
$213,027
Median Home Value
$842
Median Rent
$68,448
Median Income

Sheldon, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Sheldon Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Sheldon Iowa
Shampoo $1.29 $1.28
Movie $9.36 $12.13
Bowling $16.4 $18
Haircut $24.32 $24.26
Beauty Salon $35.22 $45.56

Detailed Sheldon Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Sheldon Iowa
Ground Beef $5.89 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.41 $1.57
Milk $4.75 $4.67
Potatoes $4.63 $4.93
Pizza $10.64 $12.09
Beer $9.33 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.8 $3.7

Detailed Sheldon Health Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Sheldon Iowa
Optometrist $135.1 $125.68
Doctor $177.33 $135.78
Dentist $108.21 $113.29

Detailed Sheldon Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Sheldon Iowa
Gasoline $3.28 $3.46
Tire Balancing $49.42 $59.92

Detailed Sheldon Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Sheldon Iowa
All Electricity $141.67 $193.99
Phone $194.04 $192.25

Sheldon SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Sheldon

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

  • Worthington, MN has a cost of living index of 84, 1.0x Sheldon.

  • Spencer, IA has a cost of living index of 88, 1.0x Sheldon.

  • Storm Lake, IA has a cost of living index of 93, 1.1x Sheldon.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Sheldon
Worthington, MN 13,792 84 1.0x
Spencer, IA 11,393 88 1.0x
Storm Lake, IA 11,275 93 1.1x
Brandon, SD 10,996 102 1.2x
Le Mars, IA 10,597 91 1.1x
Sioux Center, IA 8,335 97 1.1x
Harrisburg, SD 7,790 100 1.2x
Cherokee, IA 5,157 79 0.9x

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