Cedar Falls, IA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Cedar Falls, IA Summary

Cost of living in Cedar Falls 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 Cedar Falls 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 Cedar Falls is 93, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Cedar Falls ranks as the #57 cheapest in Iowa out of 80.

  • Cedar Falls ranks as the #2,137 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Cedar Falls is $211,000.

  • The median income in Cedar Falls is $66,838.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
93
Cedar Falls's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Cedar Falls, IA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Cedar Falls has an overall cost of living index of 93, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Iowa, Cedar Falls has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Iowa's index of 89.

The standard of living in Cedar Falls ranks as #57 most affordable out of the 80 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Cedar Falls ranks as the #23 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Cedar Falls, check out:

57 out of 80
In Iowa
2,137 out of 6,412
In America

Cedar Falls Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

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

  • The Services index in Cedar Falls is 92.

  • The Groceries index in Cedar Falls is 94.

  • The Health index in Cedar Falls is 94.

  • The Housing index in Cedar Falls is 88.

  • The Transportation index in Cedar Falls is 92.

  • The Utilities index in Cedar Falls is 87.

Living Expense Cedar Falls Iowa National Average
Overall 93 89 100
Services 92 95 100
Groceries 94 98 100
Health 94 99 100
Housing 88 73 100
Transportation 92 98 100
Utilities 87 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Cedar Falls Cost of Living Vs. IA

Cedar Falls, 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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Cedar Falls is $211,000.

  • The Median Rent in Cedar Falls is $991.

  • The Median Income in Cedar Falls is $66,838.

  • The Home Value To Income in Cedar Falls is 3.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Cedar Falls is 0.18x.

Statistic Cedar Falls Iowa United States
Median Home Value $211,000 $160,700 $244,900
Median Rent $991 $845 $1,163
Median Income $66,838 $65,429 $69,021
Home Value To Income 3.2x 2.5x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.15x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Cedar Falls, IA
$211,000
Median Home Value
$991
Median Rent
$66,838
Median Income

Cedar Falls, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Cedar Falls Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Cedar Falls Iowa
Shampoo $0.99 $1.06
Movie $12.04 $10.68
Bowling $11.0 $14.67
Haircut $16.57 $18.62
Beauty Salon $20.6 $39.05

Detailed Cedar Falls Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Cedar Falls Iowa
Ground Beef $3.12 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.58 $1.39
Milk $1.91 $2.05
Potatoes $2.05 $3.29
Pizza $9.99 $10.62
Beer $8.99 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.77 $2.34

Detailed Cedar Falls Health Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Cedar Falls Iowa
Optometrist $125.0 $108.57
Doctor $109.42 $116.17
Dentist $80.33 $99.13

Detailed Cedar Falls Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Cedar Falls Iowa
Gasoline $2.66 $2.22
Tire Balancing $39.99 $50.07

Detailed Cedar Falls Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Cedar Falls Iowa
All Electricity $127.07 $167.67
Phone $177.99 $175.64

Cedar Falls SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Cedar Falls

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Cedar Falls. 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 84, 0.9x Cedar Falls.

  • Marshalltown, IA has a cost of living index of 88, 0.9x Cedar Falls.

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

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Cedar Falls
Waterloo, IA 67,695 84 0.9x
Marshalltown, IA 27,570 88 0.9x
La Porte, IN 21,993 83 0.9x
Waverly, IA 10,278 90 1.0x
Independence, IA 6,088 81 0.9x
Oelwein, IA 5,961 76 0.8x
Iowa Falls, IA 5,154 83 0.9x

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