Clear Lake, IA vs Madrid, IA

Clear Lake is moderately more affordable than Madrid, with a 5.8% lower cost of living index. Clear Lake scores 74 compared to 79 for Madrid, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Madrid can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Clear Lake is $755/month compared to $1,034/month in Madrid — a 27% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Clear Lake has cheaper rent, Madrid actually has lower median home values ($185,100 vs $235,100).

Median household income in Clear Lake is $70,278 compared to $86,915 in Madrid (-19.1%). While Madrid is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Clear Lake spend roughly 12.9% of their income on rent, less than the 14.3% in Madrid.