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.
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:
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 | |
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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Item | Washington | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $134.2 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $140.02 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $93.33 | $113.29 |
| Item | Washington | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.37 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $72.71 | $59.92 |
| Item | Washington | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $153.7 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.06 | $192.25 |
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 |