Calmar, IA vs Marengo, IA

Marengo is moderately more affordable than Calmar, with a 9.2% lower cost of living index. Calmar scores 69 compared to 63 for Marengo, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Calmar can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Calmar is $684/month compared to $722/month in Marengo — a 5% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Calmar has cheaper rent, Marengo actually has lower median home values ($114,100 vs $194,600).

Median household income in Calmar is $81,583 compared to $58,125 in Marengo (+40.4%). While Calmar is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Calmar spend roughly 10.1% of their income on rent, less than the 14.9% in Marengo.