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 81.
Data Updated: March 2026
Cheapest City
Keokuk
Index: 67
Most Expensive
Clive
Index: 107
State Average
81
National: 100
Cities Ranked
86
with complete data
All 86 Cities in Iowa — By Affordability
| # | City | Index | Home Value | Rent | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keokuk | 67 | $93,700 | $810 | $49,340 |
| 2 | Oelwein | 67 | $96,800 | $762 | $49,821 |
| 3 | Estherville | 67 | $96,300 | $739 | $54,624 |
| 4 | Red Oak | 67 | $91,600 | $768 | $52,996 |
| 5 | Fort Madison | 68 | $95,900 | $824 | $49,359 |
| 6 | Creston | 68 | $112,600 | $672 | $50,752 |
| 7 | Charles City | 68 | $118,900 | $628 | $56,734 |
| 8 | Centerville | 68 | $99,000 | $758 | $41,472 |
| 9 | Clarinda | 68 | $112,200 | $653 | $50,644 |
| 10 | Ottumwa | 69 | $92,400 | $956 | $56,994 |
| 11 | Clinton | 69 | $115,400 | $751 | $57,493 |
| 12 | Cherokee | 69 | $119,400 | $707 | $48,693 |
| 13 | Perry | 70 | $122,100 | $877 | $63,983 |
| 14 | Iowa Falls | 70 | $106,300 | $898 | $53,051 |
| 15 | Marshalltown | 71 | $117,100 | $864 | $68,854 |
| 16 | Fort Dodge | 71 | $127,576 | $764 | $61,769 |
| 17 | Webster City | 71 | $115,400 | $878 | $65,844 |
| 18 | Atlantic | 71 | $134,900 | $750 | $57,486 |
| 19 | Maquoketa | 71 | $126,800 | $745 | $56,039 |
| 20 | Manchester | 71 | $130,500 | $743 | $58,578 |
| 21 | Mason City | 72 | $130,000 | $874 | $62,369 |
| 22 | Burlington | 72 | $115,800 | $931 | $55,274 |
| 23 | Oskaloosa | 72 | $128,900 | $880 | $62,172 |
| 24 | Denison | 72 | $137,600 | $770 | $63,850 |
| 25 | Waterloo | 73 | $150,200 | $896 | $56,344 |
| 26 | Boone | 73 | $156,400 | $791 | $67,269 |
| 27 | Mount Pleasant | 73 | $145,600 | $773 | $59,216 |
| 28 | Washington | 73 | $144,500 | $927 | $56,536 |
| 29 | Knoxville | 74 | $147,600 | $810 | $70,136 |
| 30 | Independence | 74 | $156,900 | $769 | $72,250 |
| 31 | Osceola | 74 | $145,300 | $832 | $62,363 |
| 32 | Sioux City | 75 | $162,600 | $936 | $65,473 |
| 33 | Council Bluffs | 75 | $164,300 | $980 | $64,092 |
| 34 | Muscatine | 75 | $146,900 | $979 | $59,332 |
| 35 | Fairfield | 75 | $152,900 | $864 | $48,302 |
| 36 | Anamosa | 75 | $164,900 | $897 | $56,167 |
| 37 | Algona | 75 | $156,200 | $887 | $52,542 |
| 38 | Davenport | 76 | $162,900 | $930 | $64,497 |
| 39 | Storm Lake | 76 | $163,600 | $830 | $58,341 |
| 40 | Nevada | 76 | $177,800 | $884 | $75,221 |
| 41 | Spencer | 77 | $178,300 | $795 | $57,068 |
| 42 | Carroll | 77 | $184,100 | $718 | $59,323 |
| 43 | Sheldon | 77 | $173,600 | $842 | $68,448 |
| 44 | Winterset | 77 | $181,500 | $943 | $69,268 |
| 45 | Glenwood | 77 | $193,800 | $842 | $69,320 |
| 46 | Dubuque | 78 | $193,100 | $943 | $64,985 |
| 47 | Newton | 78 | $196,481 | $828 | $56,321 |
| 48 | Grinnell | 79 | $204,472 | $876 | $64,426 |
| 49 | Cedar Rapids | 80 | $204,214 | $925 | $67,859 |
| 50 | Le Mars | 81 | $202,200 | $908 | $72,381 |
| 51 | Waverly | 81 | $215,200 | $909 | $78,429 |
| 52 | Des Moines | 82 | $204,843 | $1,141 | $63,966 |
| 53 | Indianola | 83 | $228,100 | $966 | $78,125 |
| 54 | Clear Lake | 83 | $235,100 | $755 | $70,278 |
| 55 | Decorah | 83 | $234,600 | $788 | $62,177 |
| 56 | Spirit Lake | 83 | $218,400 | $885 | $73,627 |
| 57 | Hiawatha | 84 | $252,318 | $846 | $67,628 |
| 58 | DeWitt | 84 | $223,100 | $950 | $84,474 |
| 59 | Orange City | 85 | $245,300 | $815 | $81,667 |
| 60 | Norwalk | 87 | $275,700 | $869 | $94,583 |
| 61 | Ames | 88 | $263,800 | $1,040 | $60,102 |
| 62 | Marion | 88 | $268,012 | $978 | $87,105 |
| 63 | Cedar Falls | 88 | $252,500 | $1,177 | $74,165 |
| 64 | Iowa City | 89 | $273,600 | $1,094 | $57,533 |
| 65 | Pella | 89 | $259,600 | $1,041 | $81,201 |
| 66 | Sioux Center | 89 | $275,900 | $884 | $87,555 |
| 67 | Coralville | 90 | $286,000 | $1,021 | $66,508 |
| 68 | Adel | 92 | $320,500 | $842 | $96,905 |
| 69 | Bettendorf | 93 | $295,600 | $1,148 | $102,917 |
| 70 | Windsor Heights | 93 | $278,474 | $1,355 | $89,083 |
| 71 | Sergeant Bluff | 93 | $287,600 | $1,232 | $122,610 |
| 72 | North Liberty | 94 | $300,000 | $1,226 | $103,933 |
| 73 | Pleasant Hill | 94 | $297,605 | $1,204 | $86,890 |
| 74 | Eldridge | 94 | $329,400 | $845 | $101,089 |
| 75 | West Des Moines | 96 | $316,621 | $1,194 | $84,925 |
| 76 | Altoona | 96 | $317,292 | $1,203 | $87,123 |
| 77 | Bondurant | 97 | $329,745 | $1,176 | $128,341 |
| 78 | Asbury | 97 | $312,400 | $1,379 | $130,071 |
| 79 | Tiffin | 97 | $315,800 | $1,367 | $106,034 |
| 80 | Waukee | 98 | $328,200 | $1,290 | $106,728 |
| 81 | Ankeny | 99 | $335,711 | $1,279 | $106,603 |
| 82 | Urbandale | 99 | $348,073 | $1,176 | $113,086 |
| 83 | Grimes | 99 | $346,961 | $1,156 | $104,497 |
| 84 | Polk City | 102 | $419,774 | $746 | $163,000 |
| 85 | Johnston | 106 | $393,938 | $1,288 | $103,430 |
| 86 | Clive | 107 | $426,162 | $1,099 | $131,082 |