Burlington, IA vs Grinnell, IA

Burlington is moderately more affordable than Grinnell, with a 7% lower cost of living index. Burlington scores 70 compared to 75 for Grinnell, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Grinnell can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Burlington is $931/month compared to $876/month in Grinnell — a 6% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Grinnell has cheaper rent, Burlington actually has lower median home values ($115,800 vs $191,700).

Median household income in Burlington is $55,274 compared to $64,426 in Grinnell (-14.2%). While Grinnell is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Burlington spend roughly 20.2% of their income on rent, more than the 16.3% in Grinnell.