Oelwein, IA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Oelwein, IA Summary

Cost of living in Oelwein 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 Oelwein 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 Oelwein is 76, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Oelwein is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Oelwein ranks as the #1 cheapest in Iowa out of 80.

  • Oelwein ranks as the #54 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Oelwein is $86,900.

  • The median income in Oelwein is $38,325.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
76
Oelwein's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Oelwein, IA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Oelwein has an overall cost of living index of 76, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Iowa, Oelwein has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Iowa's index of 89.

The standard of living in Oelwein ranks as #1 most affordable out of the 80 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Oelwein ranks as the #79 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Oelwein, check out:

1 out of 80
In Iowa
54 out of 6,412
In America

Oelwein Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

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

  • The Services index in Oelwein is 92.

  • The Groceries index in Oelwein is 90.

  • The Health index in Oelwein is 93.

  • The Housing index in Oelwein is 45.

  • The Transportation index in Oelwein is 96.

  • The Utilities index in Oelwein is 86.

Living Expense Oelwein Iowa National Average
Overall 76 89 100
Services 92 95 100
Groceries 90 98 100
Health 93 99 100
Housing 45 73 100
Transportation 96 98 100
Utilities 86 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Oelwein Cost of Living Vs. IA

Oelwein, 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 Oelwein is $86,900.

  • The Median Rent in Oelwein is $710.

  • The Median Income in Oelwein is $38,325.

  • The Home Value To Income in Oelwein is 2.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Oelwein is 0.22x.

Statistic Oelwein Iowa United States
Median Home Value $86,900 $160,700 $244,900
Median Rent $710 $845 $1,163
Median Income $38,325 $65,429 $69,021
Home Value To Income 2.3x 2.5x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.15x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Oelwein, IA
$86,900
Median Home Value
$710
Median Rent
$38,325
Median Income

Oelwein, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Oelwein Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Oelwein 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 Oelwein Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Oelwein 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 Oelwein Health Costs Vs. Iowa

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

Detailed Oelwein Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Oelwein Iowa
Gasoline $2.66 $2.22
Tire Balancing $39.99 $50.07

Detailed Oelwein Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Oelwein Iowa
All Electricity $127.07 $167.67
Phone $177.99 $175.64

Oelwein SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
4
Affordability
8
Diversity
5
Safety
6
Amenities
8
Education
6
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Oelwein

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

  • Marion, IA has a cost of living index of 95, 1.2x Oelwein.

  • Cedar Falls, IA has a cost of living index of 93, 1.2x Oelwein.

  • Central, LA has a cost of living index of 96, 1.3x Oelwein.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Oelwein
Marion, IA 41,023 95 1.2x
Cedar Falls, IA 40,500 93 1.2x
Central, LA 29,746 96 1.3x
La Porte, IN 21,993 83 1.1x
Waverly, IA 10,278 90 1.2x
Decorah, IA 7,767 88 1.2x
Hiawatha, IA 7,184 95 1.2x
Independence, IA 6,088 81 1.1x
Manchester, IA 5,077 89 1.2x

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