Forest City, IA vs Fort Madison, IA

Forest City, IA and Fort Madison, IA have a very similar cost of living, with only a 0.2% difference in their overall index. Forest City scores 65 while Fort Madison scores 65 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 Forest City is $719/month compared to $824/month in Fort Madison — a 13% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Forest City has cheaper rent, Fort Madison actually has lower median home values ($95,900 vs $136,400).

Median household income in Forest City is $62,917 compared to $49,359 in Fort Madison (+27.5%). While Forest City is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Forest City spend roughly 13.7% of their income on rent, less than the 20% in Fort Madison.