Fort Madison, IA vs Ottumwa, IA

Fort Madison is moderately more affordable than Ottumwa, with a 5.4% lower cost of living index. Fort Madison scores 65 compared to 68 for Ottumwa, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Ottumwa can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Fort Madison is $824/month compared to $956/month in Ottumwa — a 14% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Fort Madison has cheaper rent, Ottumwa actually has lower median home values ($92,400 vs $95,900).

Median household income in Fort Madison is $49,359 compared to $56,994 in Ottumwa (-13.4%). While Ottumwa is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Fort Madison spend roughly 20% of their income on rent, less than the 20.1% in Ottumwa.