Janesville, IA vs Marengo, IA

Marengo is moderately more affordable than Janesville, with a 7.3% lower cost of living index. Janesville scores 67 compared to 63 for Marengo, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Janesville can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Janesville is $625/month compared to $722/month in Marengo — a 13% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Janesville has cheaper rent, Marengo actually has lower median home values ($114,100 vs $214,700).

Median household income in Janesville is $84,231 compared to $58,125 in Marengo (+44.9%). While Janesville is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Janesville spend roughly 8.9% of their income on rent, less than the 14.9% in Marengo.

Climate-wise, both cities share similar average temperatures (49°F vs 48.3°F). Janesville receives more rainfall at 36.3" per year compared to 35.9" in Marengo.