Fredericksburg, IA vs Salem, IA

Salem is moderately more affordable than Fredericksburg, with a 5.1% lower cost of living index. Fredericksburg scores 67 compared to 64 for Salem, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Fredericksburg can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Fredericksburg is $750/month compared to $850/month in Salem — a 12% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Fredericksburg has cheaper rent, Salem actually has lower median home values ($75,000 vs $164,100).

Median household income in Fredericksburg is $65,809 compared to $59,583 in Salem (+10.4%). While Fredericksburg is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Fredericksburg spend roughly 13.7% of their income on rent, less than the 17.1% in Salem.