Cost comparison
Compare rent, housing, utilities, groceries, salary needs, and move score across the city profiles currently available in LifeAtlas.
Iowa
Ames is a college-town and research market in Iowa, useful for starter comparisons around rent, housing, utilities, wages, benefits, insurance, and moving costs.
Iowa
Marshalltown is a supplemental starter city profile for the central Iowa affordability market in Iowa, useful for route coverage and starter comparisons around rent, housing, utilities, wages, benefits, insurance, and moving costs.
Comparison
Marshalltown has the lower salary-needed estimate, while Ames has the lower starter rent. Differences are shown as Marshalltown minus Ames.
| Metric | Ames | Marshalltown | Difference | Advantage | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $924 | $1,068 | +$144 | Ames | Ames has the lower median rent. |
| Home price | $197,800 | $174,609 | -$23,191 | Marshalltown | Marshalltown has the lower home price. |
| Utilities | $174/mo | $193/mo | +$19/mo | Ames | Ames has the lower utilities. |
| Groceries index | 97 | 102 | +5 | Ames | Ames has the lower groceries index. |
| Salary needed | $46,800 | $39,335 | -$7,465 | Marshalltown | Marshalltown has the lower salary needed. |
| Move score | 84/100 | 85/100 | +1 | Marshalltown | Marshalltown has the higher move score. |