Emerson, IA vs Urbana, IA

Emerson is moderately more affordable than Urbana, with a 5.5% lower cost of living index. Emerson scores 69 compared to 73 for Urbana, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Urbana can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Emerson is $913/month compared to $776/month in Urbana — a 18% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Urbana has cheaper rent, Emerson actually has lower median home values ($113,600 vs $224,100).

Median household income in Emerson is $47,426 compared to $112,672 in Urbana (-57.9%). While Urbana is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Emerson spend roughly 23.1% of their income on rent, more than the 8.3% in Urbana.