Storm Lake, IA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Storm Lake, IA Summary

Cost of living in Storm 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 Storm 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 Storm Lake is 89, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Storm Lake ranks as the #42 cheapest in Iowa out of 80.

  • Storm Lake ranks as the #1,460 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Storm Lake is $141,900.

  • The median income in Storm Lake is $49,375.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
89
Storm Lake's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

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

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Storm Lake has an overall cost of living index of 89, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Storm Lake ranks as #42 most affordable out of the 80 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Storm Lake ranks as the #38 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

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

42 out of 80
In Iowa
1,460 out of 6,412
In America

Storm Lake Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

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

  • The Services index in Storm Lake is 101.

  • The Groceries index in Storm Lake is 101.

  • The Health index in Storm Lake is 99.

  • The Housing index in Storm Lake is 60.

  • The Transportation index in Storm Lake is 102.

  • The Utilities index in Storm Lake is 92.

Living Expense Storm Lake Iowa National Average
Overall 89 89 100
Services 101 95 100
Groceries 101 98 100
Health 99 99 100
Housing 60 73 100
Transportation 102 98 100
Utilities 92 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Storm Lake Cost of Living Vs. IA

Storm 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 Storm Lake is $141,900.

  • The Median Rent in Storm Lake is $733.

  • The Median Income in Storm Lake is $49,375.

  • The Home Value To Income in Storm Lake is 2.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Storm Lake is 0.18x.

Statistic Storm Lake Iowa United States
Median Home Value $141,900 $160,700 $244,900
Median Rent $733 $845 $1,163
Median Income $49,375 $65,429 $69,021
Home Value To Income 2.9x 2.5x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.15x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Storm Lake, IA
$141,900
Median Home Value
$733
Median Rent
$49,375
Median Income

Storm Lake, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Storm Lake Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Storm Lake Iowa
Shampoo $1.61 $1.06
Movie $8.62 $10.68
Bowling $15.57 $14.67
Haircut $22.76 $18.62
Beauty Salon $31.95 $39.05

Detailed Storm Lake Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Storm Lake Iowa
Ground Beef $4.39 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.64 $1.39
Milk $2.2 $2.05
Potatoes $2.86 $3.29
Pizza $9.81 $10.62
Beer $8.86 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.53 $2.34

Detailed Storm Lake Health Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Storm Lake Iowa
Optometrist $109.17 $108.57
Doctor $127.0 $116.17
Dentist $89.67 $99.13

Detailed Storm Lake Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Storm Lake Iowa
Gasoline $2.18 $2.22
Tire Balancing $56.81 $50.07

Detailed Storm Lake Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Storm Lake Iowa
All Electricity $143.46 $167.67
Phone $180.82 $175.64

Storm Lake SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
6
Affordability
8
Diversity
10
Safety
6
Amenities
8.5
Education
4
Commute
10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Storm Lake

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

  • Spencer, IA has a cost of living index of 87, 1.0x Storm Lake.

  • Carroll, IA has a cost of living index of 93, 1.0x Storm Lake.

  • Denison, IA has a cost of living index of 83, 0.9x Storm Lake.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Storm Lake
Spencer, IA 11,292 87 1.0x
Carroll, IA 10,261 93 1.0x
Denison, IA 8,323 83 0.9x
Sheldon, IA 5,475 89 1.0x

Articles About Iowa

Enjoy The Snack?