Calmar, IA vs Onawa, IA

Calmar is moderately more affordable than Onawa, with a 5.6% lower cost of living index. Calmar scores 69 compared to 73 for Onawa, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Onawa 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 $1,005/month in Onawa — a 32% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Calmar has cheaper rent, Onawa actually has lower median home values ($125,700 vs $194,600).

Median household income in Calmar is $81,583 compared to $54,659 in Onawa (+49.3%). Calmar offers a double advantage: higher earnings combined with a lower cost of living, giving residents significantly more purchasing power. Looking at affordability, residents of Calmar spend roughly 10.1% of their income on rent, less than the 22.1% in Onawa.