Waverly, IA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Waverly, IA Summary

Cost of living in Waverly 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 Waverly 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 Waverly is 91, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Waverly ranks as the #45 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.

  • Waverly ranks as the #1,347 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Waverly is $274,546.

  • The median income in Waverly is $78,429.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
91
Waverly's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Waverly, IA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Waverly has an overall cost of living index of 91, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Waverly ranks as #45 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Waverly ranks as the #40 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Waverly, check out:

45 out of 85
In Iowa
1,347 out of 6,489
In America

Waverly Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

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

  • The Services index in Waverly is 81.

  • The Groceries index in Waverly is 94.

  • The Health index in Waverly is 102.

  • The Housing index in Waverly is 92.

  • The Transportation index in Waverly is 98.

  • The Utilities index in Waverly is 86.

Living Expense Waverly Iowa National Average
Overall 91 90 100
Services 81 96 100
Groceries 94 97 100
Health 102 99 100
Housing 92 75 100
Transportation 98 99 100
Utilities 86 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Waverly Cost of Living Vs. IA

Waverly, 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 Waverly is $274,546.

  • The Median Rent in Waverly is $909.

  • The Median Income in Waverly is $78,429.

  • The Home Value To Income in Waverly is 3.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Waverly is 0.14x.

Statistic Waverly Iowa United States
Median Home Value $274,546 $230,258 $303,400
Median Rent $909 $949 $1,348
Median Income $78,429 $73,147 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.5x 3.1x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.14x 0.16x 0.21x
$274,546
Median Home Value
$909
Median Rent
$78,429
Median Income

Waverly, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Waverly Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Waverly Iowa
Shampoo $1.23 $1.28
Movie $12.84 $12.13
Bowling $11.5 $18
Haircut $19.76 $24.26
Beauty Salon $29.46 $45.56

Detailed Waverly Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Waverly Iowa
Ground Beef $5.96 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.41 $1.57
Milk $4.8 $4.67
Potatoes $4.85 $4.93
Pizza $10.99 $12.09
Beer $9.73 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.8 $3.7

Detailed Waverly Health Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Waverly Iowa
Optometrist $159.2 $125.68
Doctor $151.67 $135.78
Dentist $100.97 $113.29

Detailed Waverly Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Waverly Iowa
Gasoline $3.4 $3.46
Tire Balancing $53.77 $59.92

Detailed Waverly Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Waverly Iowa
All Electricity $147.73 $193.99
Phone $187.56 $192.25

Waverly SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
7
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
5
Safety
6
Amenities
8
Education
9
Commute
9.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Waverly

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

  • Waterloo, IA has a cost of living index of 83, 0.9x Waverly.

  • Cedar Falls, IA has a cost of living index of 92, 1.0x Waverly.

  • La Porte, IN has a cost of living index of 83, 0.9x Waverly.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Waverly
Waterloo, IA 66,947 83 0.9x
Cedar Falls, IA 40,662 92 1.0x
La Porte, IN 22,125 83 0.9x
Independence, IA 6,149 81 0.9x
Oelwein, IA 5,878 77 0.8x
Iowa Falls, IA 5,062 86 0.9x

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