A+
16%
Overall NAT. AVG.
5%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
40%
Housing NAT. AVG.
Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Clinton Iowa National
Cost of living8488100
Goods & Services9594100
Groceries9797100
Health care9596100
Housing6074100
Transportation10599100
Utilities8188100
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An Overview of Cost of Living in Clinton, IA

Knowing the cost of living in Clinton allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Clinton stands at 84, marking it 16% lower than the national average.

What Do Locals Say About the Cost of Living in Clinton?

Nobody knows their city better than the people who actually live there. So, we asked 80 local residents how they would rate the cost of living in Clinton and this is how they responded. 18% of people said that the cost of living was affordable, with prices decreasing, while 83% of people said that the cost of living was very expensive and prices continue to rise.

Is Clinton Affordable?

Is Clinton an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Clinton, the median home price is 43.2% lower than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 32.5% lower than the usual rates. Income levels in Clinton come in at $68,321, which is 16% lower than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Clinton?

Healthcare: Healthcare expenses and insurance premiums can vary significantly depending on the specific city or state. Factors such as accessibility to healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor's visits, dental care expenses, prescription costs and specialized medical care fees can all influence the overall cost of living. In Clinton, healthcare costs are 5.2% lower than the national average.

Housing: When there's a high demand for housing in trendy places, it can cause property prices and rental rates to soar, leading to a significantly higher cost of living. Conversely, in less desirable locations, where demand is low, prices tend to decrease, resulting in a more budget-friendly cost of living. In Clinton, the housing index is 40% lower than the national average.

Utilities: Like everything else, utilities costs can range significantly depending on factors like climate, energy sources available, location and even state regulations. Things like electricity, water, heating and waste disposal costs can be higher or lower, depending on the city or state. The utilities index in Clinton comes in at 19.2% lower than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Clinton cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. Published on a quarterly basis, it compiles data from more than 300 independent researchers, encompassing over 60 goods and services. These items have been meticulously selected to represent various consumer expenditure categories, in 6 categories. Weightings assigned to cost differentials draw from government survey data tracking spending patterns among professional and executive households. While the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, AreaVibes incorporates tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each region.

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Clinton is 4% lower than the Iowa average
  • The cost of living in Clinton is 16% lower than the national average
  • Clinton housing is 40% lower than the national average
  • Iowa general sales tax is 18% higher than the national average
  • Iowa state income tax is 69% higher than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Clinton

See all the best places to live around Clinton

Compare Clinton, IA Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$85,832$7,153$2,003$2,575
      Renters$37,708$3,142$880$1,131
      The percent of monthly income spent on housing can be a good indicator of the affordability of housing in Clinton, IA, as well as the overall cost of living. As a general rule of thumb, the debt-to-income ratio (DTI) for homeowners or renters should be not more than 28 percent of gross income to be spent on housing related costs and not more than 36 percent of income on all expenses, including debts. The median income for Clinton homeowners, is $85,832. This would allow for a maximum of $2,003 per month to be spent on housing costs. For renters, the median monthly income is $37,708 which would result in a maximum of $880 to be spent on rental costs.

      Iowa Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Iowa 6% 7%

      Iowa Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Iowa 4.4% 6%

      Goods & Services

      Item Clinton National avg. Difference
      Haircut $31.80$27.6215.1%
      Beauty Salon $47.40$51.117.2%
      Toothpaste $4.05$4.091.0%
      Shampoo $1.60$1.543.8%
      Movie $11.58$12.8810.1%
      Yoga $19.50$19.660.8%

      Groceries

      Item Clinton National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $7.47$7.703.0%
      Fried Chicken $1.50$1.669.8%
      Milk $4.71$4.730.5%
      Potatoes $5.00$5.264.9%
      Pizza $11.89$12.766.8%
      Beer $10.25$10.552.8%

      Health Care

      Item Clinton National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $105.55$140.0624.6%
      Doctor $188.29$153.8222.4%
      Dentist $105.58$123.1514.3%
      Ibuprofen $11.77$11.730.3%
      Lipitor $18.43$23.6121.9%

      Housing

      Item Clinton National avg. Difference
      Home Price $185,612.00$326,622.0043.2%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $2,011.25$2,480.2518.9%
      Apartment Rent $974.00$1,444.0032.5%

      Transportation

      Item Clinton National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.12$3.062.1%
      Tire Balancing $72.38$65.2111.0%

      Utilities

      Item Clinton National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $148.28$220.1232.6%
      Phone $201.97$195.713.2%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Andover, IA1668119.1%
      Charlotte, IA3928317.3%
      Low Moor, IA3398416.4%
      Lyndon, IL6168416.3%
      Miles, IA4038415.8%
      Clinton, IA25,8048415.5%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Ridgewood, NJ25,81017777.0%
      Cave Spring, VA25,8141044.0%
      De Pere, WI25,789973.4%
      Belvidere, IL25,8319010.5%
      Edwardsville, IL25,8391022.1%
      Clinton, IA25,8048415.5%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.