Estherville, IA vs Sumner, IA

Sumner is moderately more affordable than Estherville, with a 6.9% lower cost of living index. Estherville scores 62 compared to 58 for Sumner, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Estherville can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Estherville is $739/month compared to $598/month in Sumner — a 24% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Sumner has cheaper rent, Estherville actually has lower median home values ($96,300 vs $111,900).

Median household income in Estherville is $54,624 compared to $56,174 in Sumner (-2.8%). Sumner offers a double advantage: higher earnings combined with a lower cost of living, giving residents significantly more purchasing power. Looking at affordability, residents of Estherville spend roughly 16.2% of their income on rent, more than the 12.8% in Sumner.