Cost of living in Independence 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 Independence 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 Independence is 81, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Independence is 0.8x lower than the national average.
Independence ranks as the #7 cheapest in Iowa out of 80.
Independence ranks as the #290 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.
The median home value in Independence is $133,300.
The median income in Independence is $64,397.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Independence has an overall cost of living index of 81, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Iowa, Independence has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Iowa's index of 89.
The standard of living in Independence ranks as #7 most affordable out of the 80 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Independence ranks as the #73 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.
For more reading on life in Independence, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Independence. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Independence is 89.
The Groceries index in Independence is 94.
The Health index in Independence is 94.
The Housing index in Independence is 67.
The Transportation index in Independence is 95.
The Utilities index in Independence is 86.
Living Expense | Independence | Iowa | National Average | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Overall | 81 | 89 | 100 | |
Services | 89 | 95 | 100 | |
Groceries | 94 | 98 | 100 | |
Health | 94 | 99 | 100 | |
Housing | 67 | 73 | 100 | |
Transportation | 95 | 98 | 100 | |
Utilities | 86 | 94 | 100 |
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 Independence is $133,300.
The Median Rent in Independence is $787.
The Median Income in Independence is $64,397.
The Home Value To Income in Independence is 2.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Independence is 0.15x.
Statistic | Independence | Iowa | United States |
---|---|---|---|
Median Home Value | $133,300 | $160,700 | $244,900 |
Median Rent | $787 | $845 | $1,163 |
Median Income | $64,397 | $65,429 | $69,021 |
Home Value To Income | 2.1x | 2.5x | 3.5x |
Rent To Monthly Income | 0.15x | 0.15x | 0.2x |
Item | Independence | 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 |
Item | Independence | 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 |
Item | Independence | Iowa |
---|---|---|
Optometrist | $125.0 | $108.57 |
Doctor | $109.42 | $116.17 |
Dentist | $80.33 | $99.13 |
Item | Independence | Iowa |
---|---|---|
Gasoline | $2.66 | $2.22 |
Tire Balancing | $39.99 | $50.07 |
Item | Independence | Iowa |
---|---|---|
All Electricity | $127.07 | $167.67 |
Phone | $177.99 | $175.64 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Independence. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Cedar Rapids, IA has a cost of living index of 94, 1.2x Independence.
Marion, IA has a cost of living index of 95, 1.2x Independence.
Cedar Falls, IA has a cost of living index of 93, 1.1x Independence.
City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Independence |
---|---|---|---|
Cedar Rapids, IA | 136,512 | 94 | 1.2x |
Marion, IA | 41,023 | 95 | 1.2x |
Cedar Falls, IA | 40,500 | 93 | 1.1x |
Central, LA | 29,746 | 96 | 1.2x |
La Porte, IN | 21,993 | 83 | 1.0x |
Waverly, IA | 10,278 | 90 | 1.1x |
Hiawatha, IA | 7,184 | 95 | 1.2x |
Anamosa, IA | 5,332 | 86 | 1.1x |
Manchester, IA | 5,077 | 89 | 1.1x |