Clear Lake, IA vs Missouri Valley, IA

Missouri Valley is moderately more affordable than Clear Lake, with a 9.8% lower cost of living index. Clear Lake scores 74 compared to 67 for Missouri Valley, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Clear Lake 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 $812/month in Missouri Valley — a 7% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Clear Lake has cheaper rent, Missouri Valley actually has lower median home values ($126,500 vs $235,100).

Median household income in Clear Lake is $70,278 compared to $64,844 in Missouri Valley (+8.4%). The higher salaries in Clear Lake partially offset the cost difference, but don't fully close the gap. Looking at affordability, residents of Clear Lake spend roughly 12.9% of their income on rent, less than the 15% in Missouri Valley.