Most Affordable Cities in Iowa

Cost of living rankings for 86 cities in Iowa. On average, Iowa is affordable with a statewide average Cost Index of 53.

Data Updated: March 2026

Cheapest City

Red Oak

Index: 33

Most Expensive

Johnston

Index: 82

State Average

National: 100

Cities Ranked

with complete data

All 86 Cities in Iowa — By Affordability

#	City	Index	Home Value	Rent	Income
1	Red Oak	33	$91,600	$768	$52,996
2	Clarinda	33	$112,200	$653	$50,644
3	Creston	34	$112,600	$672	$50,752
4	Charles City	34	$118,900	$628	$56,734
5	Estherville	34	$96,300	$739	$54,624
6	Keokuk	35	$93,700	$810	$49,340
7	Oelwein	35	$96,800	$762	$49,821
8	Centerville	35	$99,000	$758	$41,472
9	Clinton	36	$115,400	$751	$57,493
10	Fort Madison	36	$95,900	$824	$49,359
11	Cherokee	36	$119,400	$707	$48,693
12	Maquoketa	38	$126,800	$745	$56,039
13	Fort Dodge	39	$128,900	$764	$61,769
14	Atlantic	39	$134,900	$750	$57,486
15	Manchester	39	$130,500	$743	$58,578
16	Marshalltown	40	$117,100	$864	$68,854
17	Ottumwa	40	$92,400	$956	$56,994
18	Denison	40	$137,600	$770	$63,850
19	Webster City	40	$115,400	$878	$65,844
20	Iowa Falls	40	$106,300	$898	$53,051
21	Mount Pleasant	41	$145,600	$773	$59,216
22	Perry	41	$122,100	$877	$63,983
23	Mason City	42	$130,000	$874	$62,369
24	Burlington	42	$115,800	$931	$55,274
25	Oskaloosa	42	$128,900	$880	$62,172
26	Boone	43	$156,400	$791	$67,269
27	Knoxville	43	$147,600	$810	$70,136
28	Independence	43	$156,900	$769	$72,250
29	Osceola	43	$145,300	$832	$62,363
30	Newton	44	$151,600	$828	$56,321
31	Waterloo	45	$150,200	$896	$56,344
32	Storm Lake	45	$163,600	$830	$58,341
33	Carroll	45	$184,100	$718	$59,323
34	Fairfield	45	$152,900	$864	$48,302
35	Spencer	46	$178,300	$795	$57,068
36	Washington	46	$144,500	$927	$56,536
37	Algona	46	$156,200	$887	$52,542
38	Muscatine	47	$146,900	$979	$59,332
39	Sheldon	47	$173,600	$842	$68,448
40	Davenport	48	$162,900	$930	$64,497
41	Sioux City	48	$162,600	$936	$65,473
42	Anamosa	48	$164,900	$897	$56,167
43	Nevada	49	$177,800	$884	$75,221
44	Glenwood	49	$193,800	$842	$69,320
45	Cedar Rapids	50	$177,100	$925	$67,859
46	Council Bluffs	50	$164,300	$980	$64,092
47	Grinnell	50	$191,700	$876	$64,426
48	Winterset	51	$181,500	$943	$69,268
49	Dubuque	52	$193,100	$943	$64,985
50	Le Mars	52	$202,200	$908	$72,381
51	Clear Lake	52	$235,100	$755	$70,278
52	Hiawatha	52	$210,200	$846	$67,628
53	Des Moines	54	$183,700	$1,054	$63,966
54	Waverly	54	$215,200	$909	$78,429
55	Decorah	54	$234,600	$788	$62,177
56	Spirit Lake	54	$218,400	$885	$73,627
57	Orange City	55	$245,300	$815	$81,667
58	DeWitt	56	$223,100	$950	$84,474
59	Indianola	57	$228,100	$966	$78,125
60	Marion	58	$230,800	$978	$87,105
61	Norwalk	62	$275,700	$869	$94,583
62	Sioux Center	62	$275,900	$884	$87,555
63	Pella	64	$259,600	$1,041	$81,201
64	Ames	65	$263,800	$1,040	$60,102
65	Adel	66	$320,500	$842	$96,905
66	Iowa City	67	$273,600	$1,094	$57,533
67	Cedar Falls	67	$252,500	$1,177	$74,165
68	Coralville	67	$286,000	$1,021	$66,508
69	Altoona	68	$257,300	$1,203	$87,123
70	Eldridge	68	$329,400	$845	$101,089
71	Grimes	70	$281,000	$1,156	$104,497
72	West Des Moines	72	$286,300	$1,194	$84,925
73	Bettendorf	72	$295,600	$1,148	$102,917
74	Pleasant Hill	72	$284,100	$1,204	$86,890
75	Bondurant	72	$288,600	$1,176	$128,341
76	Polk City	72	$385,000	$746	$163,000
77	Windsor Heights	72	$251,800	$1,355	$89,083
78	Sergeant Bluff	73	$287,600	$1,232	$122,610
79	North Liberty	74	$300,000	$1,226	$103,933
80	Urbandale	76	$318,800	$1,176	$113,086
81	Ankeny	78	$311,300	$1,279	$106,603
82	Waukee	80	$328,200	$1,290	$106,728
83	Asbury	80	$312,400	$1,379	$130,071
84	Tiffin	81	$315,800	$1,367	$106,034
85	Johnston	82	$346,200	$1,288	$103,430
86	Clive	82	$379,000	$1,099	$131,082

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