Cost of Living: Waterloo, IA vs Ankeny, IA

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,184/mo in Waterloo, IA versus $4,184/mo in Ankeny, IA. In the model, rent is about 13.06% of gross in Waterloo, IA versus 18.63% in Ankeny, IA, so Waterloo, IA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Waterloo, IA
$4,184/mo
Income level: above
Take-home in Ankeny, IA
$4,184/mo
Income level: below
Rent share (1BR) in Waterloo, IA
13.06%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Ankeny, IA
18.63%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Waterloo, IA and Ankeny, IA.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Ankeny, IA
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Waterloo, IA
  • Lower home prices: Waterloo, IA
  • Higher median household income: Ankeny, IA

Cost of Living Index

Waterloo, IA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Ankeny, IA: 100 (U.S. = 100)

Both cities have the same cost-of-living index (U.S. average = 100).

Median Rent

Waterloo, IA: $852/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Ankeny, IA: $1,215/mo

Median rent in Ankeny, IA is $363/mo higher than in Waterloo, IA.

Median Home Price

Waterloo, IA: $150,200 · Ankeny, IA: $311,300

Median home price in Ankeny, IA is $161,100 higher than in Waterloo, IA.

Median Household Income

Waterloo, IA: $56,344 · Ankeny, IA: $106,603

Ankeny, IA has a higher median household income than Waterloo, IA by $50,259.

Waterloo, IA overview · Ankeny, IA overview · Popular comparisons