Washington, IA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Washington, IA Summary

Cost of living in Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington is 93, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Washington ranks as the #54 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.

  • Washington ranks as the #1,658 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Washington is $191,094.

  • The median income in Washington is $56,536.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
93
Washington's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Washington, IA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Washington has an overall cost of living index of 93, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Iowa, Washington has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Iowa's index of 90.

The standard of living in Washington ranks as #54 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Washington ranks as the #31 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Washington, check out:

54 out of 85
In Iowa
1,658 out of 6,489
In America

Washington Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

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

  • The Services index in Washington is 99.

  • The Groceries index in Washington is 98.

  • The Health index in Washington is 92.

  • The Housing index in Washington is 72.

  • The Transportation index in Washington is 104.

  • The Utilities index in Washington is 87.

Living Expense Washington Iowa National Average
Overall 93 90 100
Services 99 96 100
Groceries 98 97 100
Health 92 99 100
Housing 72 75 100
Transportation 104 99 100
Utilities 87 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Washington Cost of Living Vs. IA

Washington, 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 Washington is $191,094.

  • The Median Rent in Washington is $927.

  • The Median Income in Washington is $56,536.

  • The Home Value To Income in Washington is 3.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Washington is 0.2x.

Statistic Washington Iowa United States
Median Home Value $191,094 $230,258 $303,400
Median Rent $927 $949 $1,348
Median Income $56,536 $73,147 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.4x 3.1x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.16x 0.21x
$191,094
Median Home Value
$927
Median Rent
$56,536
Median Income

Washington, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Washington Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Washington Iowa
Shampoo $1.3 $1.28
Movie $11.85 $12.13
Bowling $18.5 $18
Haircut $27.83 $24.26
Beauty Salon $46.89 $45.56

Detailed Washington Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Washington Iowa
Ground Beef $5.67 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.35 $1.57
Milk $4.63 $4.67
Potatoes $4.73 $4.93
Pizza $11.49 $12.09
Beer $9.86 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.82 $3.7

Detailed Washington Health Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Washington Iowa
Optometrist $134.2 $125.68
Doctor $140.02 $135.78
Dentist $93.33 $113.29

Detailed Washington Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Washington Iowa
Gasoline $3.37 $3.46
Tire Balancing $72.71 $59.92

Detailed Washington Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Washington Iowa
All Electricity $153.7 $193.99
Phone $186.06 $192.25

Washington SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
6
Affordability
8
Diversity
6
Safety
4
Amenities
8
Education
7
Commute
9.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Washington

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

  • Cedar Rapids, IA has a cost of living index of 92, 1.0x Washington.

  • Ottumwa, IA has a cost of living index of 83, 0.9x Washington.

  • Burlington, IA has a cost of living index of 88, 0.9x Washington.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Washington
Cedar Rapids, IA 136,859 92 1.0x
Ottumwa, IA 25,352 83 0.9x
Burlington, IA 23,800 88 0.9x
Muscatine, IA 23,567 91 1.0x
Coralville, IA 22,846 105 1.1x
North Liberty, IA 20,782 105 1.1x
Oskaloosa, IA 11,492 84 0.9x
Fairfield, IA 9,438 90 1.0x
Mount Pleasant, IA 9,093 91 1.0x

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