St. Maries, ID vs Wallace, ID

Wallace is moderately more affordable than St. Maries, with a 6.3% lower cost of living index. St. Maries scores 77 compared to 73 for Wallace, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of St. Maries can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in St. Maries is $859/month compared to $731/month in Wallace — a 18% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Wallace has cheaper rent, St. Maries actually has lower median home values ($205,400 vs $219,200).

Median household income in St. Maries is $52,468 compared to $50,526 in Wallace (+3.8%). The higher salaries in St. Maries partially offset the cost difference, but don't fully close the gap. Looking at affordability, residents of St. Maries spend roughly 19.6% of their income on rent, more than the 17.4% in Wallace.