Iola, KS Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Iola, KS Summary

Cost of living in Iola 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 Iola is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Kansas, 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 Iola is 80, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Iola ranks as the #7 cheapest in Kansas out of 64.

  • Iola ranks as the #112 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Iola is $90,792.

  • The median income in Iola is $50,417.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
80
Iola's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Iola, KS?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Iola has an overall cost of living index of 80, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Kansas, Iola has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Kansas's index of 87.

The standard of living in Iola ranks as #7 most affordable out of the 64 places we measured in Kansas. By definition, that implies Iola ranks as the #57 most expensive place in the Sunflower State.

For more reading on life in Iola, check out:

7 out of 64
In Kansas
112 out of 6,489
In America

Iola Cost Of Living Vs. Kansas

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

  • The Services index in Iola is 84.

  • The Groceries index in Iola is 96.

  • The Health index in Iola is 84.

  • The Housing index in Iola is 52.

  • The Transportation index in Iola is 89.

  • The Utilities index in Iola is 105.

Living Expense Iola Kansas National Average
Overall 80 87 100
Services 84 93 100
Groceries 96 98 100
Health 84 98 100
Housing 52 78 100
Transportation 89 88 100
Utilities 105 109 100
For more reading on cost of living around Kansas, check out:
Iola Cost of Living Vs. KS

Iola, KS Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Kansas, 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 Iola is $90,792.

  • The Median Rent in Iola is $689.

  • The Median Income in Iola is $50,417.

  • The Home Value To Income in Iola is 1.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Iola is 0.16x.

Statistic Iola Kansas United States
Median Home Value $90,792 $239,913 $303,400
Median Rent $689 $1,029 $1,348
Median Income $50,417 $72,639 $78,538
Home Value To Income 1.8x 3.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.16x 0.17x 0.21x
$90,792
Median Home Value
$689
Median Rent
$50,417
Median Income

Iola, KS Costs By Category

Detailed Iola Services Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Iola Kansas
Shampoo $1.08 $1.28
Movie $6.46 $12.13
Bowling $10.0 $18
Haircut $15.67 $24.26
Beauty Salon $37.0 $45.56

Detailed Iola Groceries Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Iola Kansas
Ground Beef $6.33 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.36 $1.57
Milk $4.53 $4.67
Potatoes $4.87 $4.93
Pizza $12.4 $12.09
Beer $9.69 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.8 $3.7

Detailed Iola Health Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Iola Kansas
Optometrist $83.0 $125.68
Doctor $105.0 $135.78
Dentist $90.33 $113.29

Detailed Iola Transportation Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Iola Kansas
Gasoline $3.12 $3.46
Tire Balancing $50.34 $59.92

Detailed Iola Utilities Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Iola Kansas
All Electricity $202.28 $193.99
Phone $201.39 $192.25

Iola SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
5
Affordability
8
Diversity
6
Safety
3
Amenities
8
Education
7
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Iola

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

  • Ottawa, KS has a cost of living index of 86, 1.1x Iola.

  • Parsons, KS has a cost of living index of 79, 1.0x Iola.

  • Chanute, KS has a cost of living index of 79, 1.0x Iola.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Iola
Ottawa, KS 12,632 86 1.1x
Parsons, KS 9,482 79 1.0x
Chanute, KS 8,629 79 1.0x
Fort Scott, KS 7,551 78 1.0x

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