Bedford, IA vs Diagonal, IA

Bedford is moderately more affordable than Diagonal, with a 7.7% lower cost of living index. Bedford scores 59 compared to 64 for Diagonal, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Diagonal can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Bedford is $663/month compared to $838/month in Diagonal — a 21% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Bedford has cheaper rent, Diagonal actually has lower median home values ($84,400 vs $88,900).

Median household income in Bedford is $57,031 compared to $80,417 in Diagonal (-29.1%). While Diagonal is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Bedford spend roughly 14% of their income on rent, more than the 12.5% in Diagonal.