Iola, PA vs Madison, PA

Iola, PA and Madison, PA have a very similar cost of living, with only a 1.5% difference in their overall index. Iola scores 73 while Madison scores 74 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 Iola is $624/month compared to $675/month in Madison — a 8% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Iola has cheaper rent, Madison actually has lower median home values ($250,000 vs $262,500).

Median household income in Iola is $13,750 compared to $87,292 in Madison (-84.2%). While Madison is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Iola spend roughly 54.5% of their income on rent, more than the 9.3% in Madison. The Madison ratio exceeds the commonly recommended 30% threshold, which can put pressure on household budgets.