Orange City, IA vs Storm Lake, IA

Storm Lake is moderately more affordable than Orange City, with a 8.9% lower cost of living index. Orange City scores 77 compared to 70 for Storm Lake, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Orange City can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Orange City is $815/month compared to $830/month in Storm Lake — a 2% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Orange City has cheaper rent, Storm Lake actually has lower median home values ($163,600 vs $245,300).

Median household income in Orange City is $81,667 compared to $58,341 in Storm Lake (+40%). While Orange 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 Orange City spend roughly 12% of their income on rent, less than the 17.1% in Storm Lake.

Climate-wise, both cities share similar average temperatures (46.8°F vs 46.8°F). Storm Lake receives more rainfall at 26.8" per year compared to 26.8" in Orange City.