Before you decide to relocate to Iowa, it’s important to research the exact cost of living around the state. And that’s what we’re going to help you do.
These are the places in Iowa that cost a pretty penny — the most expensive cities in the state.
We used Saturday Night Science to compare the 2018-2022 American Community Survey on cost of living for the 83 places in Iowa with more than 5,000 people.
After we saved up for months and could finally afford it, we landed on this list of the ten most expensive cities in Iowa for 2024.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Iowa For 2024
What’s the most expensive place to live in Iowa? Well, HomeSnacks crunched the numbers and discovered that Clive is the most expensive place to live in Iowa.
Oelwein (the cheapest place to live in Iowa) can show these guys how to live on a budget in the coming years. Read on for how these places had costs rise faster than inflation.
And if you already knew these places were expensive, check out some more reading about Iowa and the most expensive cities in the country:
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Iowa For 2024
/10
Population: 18,576
Cost Of Living Index: 103
Median Income: $124,908
Average Home Price: $397,338
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.2x
More on Clive: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Clive is 103. The median income in Clive comes in at $124,908 and the average home value is $397,338 for 2024.
/10
Population: 20,393
Cost Of Living Index: 102
Median Income: $100,197
Average Home Price: $286,151
Home Price To Income Ratio: 2.9x
More on North Liberty: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in North Liberty is 102. The median income in North Liberty comes in at $100,197 and the average home value is $286,151 for 2024.
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Population: 5,890
Cost Of Living Index: 101
Median Income: $117,391
Average Home Price: $333,805
Home Price To Income Ratio: 2.8x
More on Asbury: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Asbury is 101. The median income in Asbury comes in at $117,391 and the average home value is $333,805 for 2024.
/10
Population: 38,997
Cost Of Living Index: 100
Median Income: $100,570
Average Home Price: $294,879
Home Price To Income Ratio: 2.9x
More on Bettendorf: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Bettendorf is 100. The median income in Bettendorf comes in at $100,570 and the average home value is $294,879 for 2024.
/10
Population: 23,856
Cost Of Living Index: 100
Median Income: $98,324
Average Home Price: $374,570
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.8x
More on Johnston: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Johnston is 100. The median income in Johnston comes in at $98,324 and the average home value is $374,570 for 2024.
/10
Population: 22,494
Cost Of Living Index: 100
Median Income: $67,691
Average Home Price: $234,792
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.5x
More on Coralville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Coralville is 100. The median income in Coralville comes in at $67,691 and the average home value is $234,792 for 2024.
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The overall cost of living in Polk City is 100. The median income in Polk City comes in at $152,536 and the average home value is $399,341 for 2024.
/10
Population: 6,693
Cost Of Living Index: 99
Median Income: $89,946
Average Home Price: $307,856
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.4x
More on Eldridge: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Eldridge is 99. The median income in Eldridge comes in at $89,946 and the average home value is $307,856 for 2024.
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Population: 74,878
Cost Of Living Index: 98
Median Income: $54,879
Average Home Price: $279,401
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.1x
More on Iowa City: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Iowa City is 98. The median income in Iowa City comes in at $54,879 and the average home value is $279,401 for 2024.
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Population: 66,265
Cost Of Living Index: 98
Median Income: $57,428
Average Home Price: $242,576
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.2x
More on Ames: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Ames is 98. The median income in Ames comes in at $57,428 and the average home value is $242,576 for 2024.
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Hawkeye State For 2024
The two most important things to think about when it comes to being able to afford a city in Iowa are:
- How much money do I make?
- How much do I have to spend to live there?
You need to understand your costs in the context of how much money you make.
For example, if the median household earns $100,000 and spends $40,000 on housing, it’s actually cheaper to live there than a place with a median income of $50,000 and housing costs of $21,000. You might spend more on housing, but you have more money overall to play with.
With that example in mind, we derived several statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2018-2022 around incomes and costs. They are:
- Overall Cost Of Living Index
- Median Home Price / Median Income (lower is better)
- Median Income / Median Rent (Higher is better)
- Median Home Price
You can then compare these metrics in each of the places in Iowa to figure out which is the most expensive.
You are left with a “Cost of Living Index” by taking the average rank of each of these metrics for each city.
So we used that cost of living index to rank all of the 83 places in Iowa that have more than 5,000 people.
The place with the highest cost of living in Iowa according to the data is Clive. We updated this article for 2024. This article is our tenth time ranking the most expensive places to live in Iowa.
Summary: Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck In Iowa For 2024
Well, there you have it, the places in Iowa that have the highest cost of living, with Clive ranking as the most expensive city in the Hawkeye State.
The most expensive cities in Iowa are Clive, North Liberty, Asbury, Bettendorf, Johnston, Coralville, Polk City, Eldridge, Iowa City, and Ames.
Here’s a look at the most affordable cities in Iowa according to the data:
- Oelwein
- Centerville
- Osceola
For more Iowa reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Iowa
- Cheapest Places To Live In Iowa
- Most Dangerous Cities In Iowa
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Iowa
- Safest Places In Iowa
- Worst Places To Live In Iowa
Most Expensive Cities In Iowa
| Rank | City | Cost Of Living | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Home/Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clive | 103 | 18,576 | $124,908 | $397,338 | 3.2x |
| 2 | North Liberty | 102 | 20,393 | $100,197 | $286,151 | 2.9x |
| 3 | Asbury | 101 | 5,890 | $117,391 | $333,805 | 2.8x |
| 4 | Bettendorf | 100 | 38,997 | $100,570 | $294,879 | 2.9x |
| 5 | Johnston | 100 | 23,856 | $98,324 | $374,570 | 3.8x |
| 6 | Coralville | 100 | 22,494 | $67,691 | $234,792 | 3.5x |
| 7 | Polk City | 100 | 5,604 | $152,536 | $399,341 | 2.6x |
| 8 | Eldridge | 99 | 6,693 | $89,946 | $307,856 | 3.4x |
| 9 | Iowa City | 98 | 74,878 | $54,879 | $279,401 | 5.1x |
| 10 | Ames | 98 | 66,265 | $57,428 | $242,576 | 4.2x |
| 11 | West Des Moines | 96 | 68,744 | $82,345 | $294,330 | 3.6x |
| 12 | Waukee | 96 | 25,045 | $106,846 | $337,040 | 3.2x |
| 13 | Windsor Heights | 96 | 5,200 | $85,055 | $264,202 | 3.1x |
| 14 | Ankeny | 95 | 68,392 | $101,151 | $323,344 | 3.2x |
| 15 | Grimes | 95 | 15,402 | $99,896 | $330,335 | 3.3x |
| 16 | Pleasant Hill | 95 | 10,456 | $81,992 | $289,143 | 3.5x |
| 17 | Urbandale | 94 | 45,591 | $111,888 | $326,786 | 2.9x |
| 18 | Pella | 94 | 10,556 | $86,025 | $313,636 | 3.6x |
| 19 | Bondurant | 94 | 7,617 | $120,588 | $319,817 | 2.7x |
| 20 | Marion | 93 | 41,401 | $81,519 | $249,715 | 3.1x |
| 21 | Altoona | 93 | 20,017 | $89,100 | $300,143 | 3.4x |
| 22 | Dubuque | 92 | 59,315 | $63,520 | $216,138 | 3.4x |
| 23 | Carroll | 92 | 10,270 | $60,368 | $184,709 | 3.1x |
| 24 | Sioux Center | 92 | 8,227 | $82,050 | $306,984 | 3.7x |
| 25 | Spirit Lake | 92 | 5,409 | $70,248 | $306,042 | 4.4x |
| 26 | Cedar Rapids | 91 | 136,929 | $66,895 | $183,682 | 2.7x |
| 27 | Davenport | 91 | 101,448 | $59,890 | $166,729 | 2.8x |
| 28 | Cedar Falls | 91 | 40,686 | $71,011 | $233,285 | 3.3x |
| 29 | Nevada | 91 | 6,933 | $69,742 | $224,887 | 3.2x |
| 30 | Norwalk | 90 | 13,057 | $94,176 | $318,235 | 3.4x |
| 31 | Washington | 90 | 7,329 | $56,399 | $169,496 | 3.0x |
| 32 | Muscatine | 89 | 23,671 | $58,474 | $171,138 | 2.9x |
| 33 | Mount Pleasant | 89 | 9,214 | $58,895 | $176,987 | 3.0x |
| 34 | Clear Lake | 89 | 7,642 | $66,900 | $314,635 | 4.7x |
| 35 | Hiawatha | 89 | 7,179 | $65,610 | $234,116 | 3.6x |
| 36 | Orange City | 89 | 6,278 | $77,500 | $270,941 | 3.5x |
| 37 | Adel | 89 | 6,090 | $91,891 | $389,668 | 4.2x |
| 38 | Council Bluffs | 88 | 62,670 | $61,181 | $196,527 | 3.2x |
| 39 | Boone | 88 | 12,482 | $64,192 | $166,057 | 2.6x |
| 40 | Winterset | 88 | 5,366 | $71,411 | $258,592 | 3.6x |
| 41 | Glenwood | 88 | 5,128 | $65,833 | $288,271 | 4.4x |
| 42 | Des Moines | 87 | 213,164 | $62,378 | $194,392 | 3.1x |
| 43 | Indianola | 87 | 15,845 | $73,534 | $279,064 | 3.8x |
| 44 | Spencer | 87 | 11,351 | $57,175 | $172,012 | 3.0x |
| 45 | Perry | 87 | 7,875 | $57,276 | $141,243 | 2.5x |
| 46 | Webster City | 87 | 7,787 | $59,665 | $139,256 | 2.3x |
| 47 | Maquoketa | 87 | 6,123 | $53,462 | $177,483 | 3.3x |
| 48 | Algona | 87 | 5,443 | $52,903 | $166,950 | 3.2x |
| 49 | Iowa Falls | 87 | 5,095 | $50,035 | $122,764 | 2.5x |
| 50 | Marshalltown | 86 | 27,511 | $65,000 | $148,067 | 2.3x |
| 51 | Mason City | 86 | 27,271 | $60,786 | $144,252 | 2.4x |
| 52 | Ottumwa | 86 | 25,359 | $53,085 | $108,733 | 2.0x |
| 53 | Le Mars | 86 | 10,549 | $73,734 | $223,605 | 3.0x |
| 54 | Waverly | 86 | 10,399 | $78,278 | $246,782 | 3.2x |
| 55 | Fort Madison | 86 | 10,293 | $48,944 | $102,359 | 2.1x |
| 56 | Fairfield | 86 | 9,474 | $44,277 | $147,059 | 3.3x |
| 57 | Decorah | 86 | 7,611 | $57,939 | $277,060 | 4.8x |
| 58 | Estherville | 86 | 5,881 | $55,699 | $105,579 | 1.9x |
| 59 | Anamosa | 86 | 5,493 | $55,934 | $220,620 | 3.9x |
| 60 | Sheldon | 86 | 5,417 | $61,939 | $187,712 | 3.0x |
| 61 | Manchester | 86 | 5,112 | $57,969 | $160,728 | 2.8x |
| 62 | Sioux City | 85 | 85,469 | $64,250 | $179,943 | 2.8x |
| 63 | Grinnell | 85 | 9,511 | $57,813 | $198,148 | 3.4x |
| 64 | Clinton | 84 | 24,524 | $55,196 | $118,088 | 2.1x |
| 65 | Burlington | 84 | 23,976 | $51,628 | $115,784 | 2.2x |
| 66 | Newton | 84 | 15,692 | $53,873 | $161,059 | 3.0x |
| 67 | Storm Lake | 84 | 11,194 | $54,615 | $170,758 | 3.1x |
| 68 | Charles City | 84 | 7,364 | $52,039 | $128,017 | 2.5x |
| 69 | Atlantic | 84 | 6,770 | $54,692 | $138,713 | 2.5x |
| 70 | Fort Dodge | 83 | 24,850 | $59,452 | $126,549 | 2.1x |
| 71 | Knoxville | 82 | 7,523 | $57,318 | $180,777 | 3.2x |
| 72 | Clarinda | 82 | 5,371 | $51,413 | $116,188 | 2.3x |
| 73 | Waterloo | 81 | 67,256 | $54,104 | $135,521 | 2.5x |
| 74 | Keokuk | 81 | 9,868 | $47,571 | $77,849 | 1.6x |
| 75 | Denison | 81 | 8,316 | $57,744 | $162,813 | 2.8x |
| 76 | Creston | 81 | 7,519 | $51,366 | $127,665 | 2.5x |
| 77 | Cherokee | 81 | 5,154 | $51,651 | $136,850 | 2.6x |
| 78 | Independence | 80 | 6,106 | $63,042 | $192,496 | 3.1x |
| 79 | Red Oak | 80 | 5,563 | $50,984 | $106,242 | 2.1x |
| 80 | Oskaloosa | 79 | 11,492 | $57,949 | $162,462 | 2.8x |
| 81 | Osceola | 79 | 5,455 | $55,208 | $163,656 | 3.0x |
| 82 | Centerville | 78 | 5,393 | $42,064 | $73,340 | 1.7x |
| 83 | Oelwein | 75 | 5,934 | $41,629 | $97,930 | 2.4x |
