Cost of living in Urbandale 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 Urbandale 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 Urbandale is 103, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Urbandale is 1.0x higher than the national average.
Urbandale ranks as the #74 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.
Urbandale ranks as the #2,952 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Urbandale is $352,571.
The median income in Urbandale is $113,086.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Urbandale has an overall cost of living index of 103, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Iowa, Urbandale has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Iowa's index of 91.
The standard of living in Urbandale ranks as #74 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Urbandale ranks as the #11 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.
For more reading on life in Urbandale, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Urbandale. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Urbandale is 94.
The Groceries index in Urbandale is 100.
The Health index in Urbandale is 93.
The Housing index in Urbandale is 123.
The Transportation index in Urbandale is 90.
The Utilities index in Urbandale is 88.
| Living Expense | Urbandale | Iowa | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 103 | 91 | 100 | |
| Services | 94 | 97 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 100 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 93 | 98 | 100 | |
| Housing | 123 | 75 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 90 | 100 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 88 | 95 | 100 | |
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 Urbandale is $352,571.
The Median Rent in Urbandale is $1,176.
The Median Income in Urbandale is $113,086.
The Home Value To Income in Urbandale is 3.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Urbandale is 0.12x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Urbandale. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Des Moines, IA has a cost of living index of 89, 0.9x Urbandale.
Ankeny, IA has a cost of living index of 101, 1.0x Urbandale.
West Des Moines, IA has a cost of living index of 102, 1.0x Urbandale.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Urbandale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IA | 212,464 | 89 | 0.9x |
| Ankeny, IA | 70,542 | 101 | 1.0x |
| West Des Moines, IA | 69,893 | 102 | 1.0x |
| Waukee, IA | 26,974 | 106 | 1.0x |
| Johnston, IA | 24,196 | 109 | 1.1x |
| Altoona, IA | 20,592 | 97 | 0.9x |
| Clive, IA | 18,776 | 109 | 1.1x |
| Grimes, IA | 15,810 | 99 | 1.0x |
| Norwalk, IA | 13,610 | 99 | 1.0x |
| Pleasant Hill, IA | 10,796 | 102 | 1.0x |