Clear Lake, IA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Clear Lake, IA Summary

Cost of living in Clear Lake 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 Clear Lake 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 Clear Lake is 90, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Clear Lake ranks as the #48 cheapest in Iowa out of 80.

  • Clear Lake ranks as the #1,633 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Clear Lake is $191,000.

  • The median income in Clear Lake is $61,036.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
90
Clear Lake's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Clear Lake, IA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Clear Lake has an overall cost of living index of 90, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Clear Lake ranks as #48 most affordable out of the 80 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Clear Lake ranks as the #32 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Clear Lake, check out:

48 out of 80
In Iowa
1,633 out of 6,412
In America

Clear Lake Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

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

  • The Services index in Clear Lake is 97.

  • The Groceries index in Clear Lake is 88.

  • The Health index in Clear Lake is 100.

  • The Housing index in Clear Lake is 71.

  • The Transportation index in Clear Lake is 92.

  • The Utilities index in Clear Lake is 111.

Living Expense Clear Lake Iowa National Average
Overall 90 89 100
Services 97 95 100
Groceries 88 98 100
Health 100 99 100
Housing 71 73 100
Transportation 92 98 100
Utilities 111 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Clear Lake Cost of Living Vs. IA

Clear Lake, 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 Clear Lake is $191,000.

  • The Median Rent in Clear Lake is $676.

  • The Median Income in Clear Lake is $61,036.

  • The Home Value To Income in Clear Lake is 3.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Clear Lake is 0.13x.

Statistic Clear Lake Iowa United States
Median Home Value $191,000 $160,700 $244,900
Median Rent $676 $845 $1,163
Median Income $61,036 $65,429 $69,021
Home Value To Income 3.1x 2.5x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.13x 0.15x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Clear Lake, IA
$191,000
Median Home Value
$676
Median Rent
$61,036
Median Income

Clear Lake, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Clear Lake Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Clear Lake Iowa
Shampoo $1.05 $1.06
Movie $9.5 $10.68
Bowling $10.0 $14.67
Haircut $19.56 $18.62
Beauty Salon $24.89 $39.05

Detailed Clear Lake Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Clear Lake Iowa
Ground Beef $3.78 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.53 $1.39
Milk $1.88 $2.05
Potatoes $2.63 $3.29
Pizza $12.07 $10.62
Beer $8.53 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.59 $2.34

Detailed Clear Lake Health Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Clear Lake Iowa
Optometrist $91.44 $108.57
Doctor $126.17 $116.17
Dentist $93.33 $99.13

Detailed Clear Lake Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Clear Lake Iowa
Gasoline $2.01 $2.22
Tire Balancing $45.42 $50.07

Detailed Clear Lake Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Clear Lake Iowa
All Electricity $197.53 $167.67
Phone $180.82 $175.64

Clear Lake SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
6
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
5
Safety
5
Amenities
7
Education
8.5
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Clear Lake

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

  • Austin, MN has a cost of living index of 84, 0.9x Clear Lake.

  • Albert Lea, MN has a cost of living index of 85, 0.9x Clear Lake.

  • Portland, IN has a cost of living index of 72, 0.8x Clear Lake.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Clear Lake
Austin, MN 26,030 84 0.9x
Albert Lea, MN 18,433 85 0.9x
Portland, IN 6,334 72 0.8x
Algona, IA 5,407 87 1.0x
Iowa Falls, IA 5,154 83 0.9x

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