Clear Lake, IA vs Story City, IA

Clear Lake is moderately more affordable than Story City, with a 5% lower cost of living index. Clear Lake scores 74 compared to 78 for Story City, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Story City 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 $956/month in Story City — a 21% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Clear Lake has cheaper rent, Story City actually has lower median home values ($205,800 vs $235,100).

Median household income in Clear Lake is $70,278 compared to $73,558 in Story City (-4.5%). The higher salaries in Story City 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 15.6% in Story City.