Decorah, IA vs Onawa, IA

Decorah, IA and Onawa, IA have a very similar cost of living, with only a 3.2% difference in their overall index. Decorah scores 75 while Onawa scores 73 on the cost of living index, where 100 represents the national average. The day-to-day expenses for residents in both cities are comparable, though differences emerge when looking at specific categories.

On the housing front, median rent in Decorah is $788/month compared to $1,005/month in Onawa — a 22% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Decorah has cheaper rent, Onawa actually has lower median home values ($125,700 vs $234,600).

Median household income in Decorah is $62,177 compared to $54,659 in Onawa (+13.8%). While Decorah is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Decorah spend roughly 15.2% of their income on rent, less than the 22.1% in Onawa.