| Index | Calamus | Iowa | National |
| Cost of living | 85 | 90 | 100 |
| Goods & Services | 101 | 96 | 100 |
| Groceries | 97 | 97 | 100 |
| Health care | 94 | 99 | 100 |
| Housing | 54 | 73 | 100 |
| Transportation | 104 | 98 | 100 |
| Utilities | 86 | 96 | 100 |


Why stop at city-to-city? With Local Insights, you can compare neighborhoods, zip codes, or even exact addresses. Access 300+ hyperlocal data points—from schools and crime to housing and amenities—to see which area is the better fit.
| Cost of living index | |
| Goods & Services index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $62,813 | $5,234 | $1,466 | $1,885 |
| Renters | $52,500 | $4,375 | $1,225 | $1,575 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Iowa | 6% | 7% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Iowa | 4.4% | 6% |
| Item | Calamus | National avg. | Difference |
| Haircut | $27.83 | $24.26 | 14.7% |
| Beauty Salon | $46.89 | $45.56 | 2.9% |
| Toothpaste | $3.82 | $3.70 | 3.1% |
| Shampoo | $1.30 | $1.28 | 1.5% |
| Movie | $11.85 | $12.13 | 2.4% |
| Bowling | $18.50 | $18.00 | 2.8% |
| Item | Calamus | National avg. | Difference |
| Ground Beef | $5.67 | $5.84 | 2.9% |
| Fried Chicken | $1.35 | $1.57 | 14.2% |
| Milk | $4.63 | $4.67 | 0.8% |
| Potatoes | $4.73 | $4.93 | 4.1% |
| Pizza | $11.49 | $12.09 | 4.9% |
| Beer | $9.86 | $10.41 | 5.3% |
| Item | Calamus | National avg. | Difference |
| Optometrist | $134.20 | $125.68 | 6.8% |
| Doctor | $140.02 | $135.78 | 3.1% |
| Dentist | $93.33 | $113.29 | 17.6% |
| Ibuprofen | $10.72 | $10.65 | 0.6% |
| Lipitor | $454.61 | $468.60 | 3.0% |
| Item | Calamus | National avg. | Difference |
| Home Price | $89,800.00 | $184,700.00 | 51.4% |
| Avg. Mortgage Payment | $1,900.08 | $2,346.69 | 19.0% |
| Apartment Rent | $625.00 | $949.00 | 34.1% |
| Item | Calamus | National avg. | Difference |
| Gasoline | $3.37 | $3.46 | 2.5% |
| Tire Balancing | $72.71 | $59.92 | 21.4% |
| Item | Calamus | National avg. | Difference |
| All Electricity | $153.70 | $193.99 | 20.8% |
| Phone | $186.06 | $192.25 | 3.2% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Lost Nation, IA | 451 | 80 | 20.3% |
| Oxford Junction, IA | 423 | 81 | 19.0% |
| Toronto, IA | 82 | 83 | 17.2% |
| New Liberty, IA | 108 | 85 | 14.6% |
| Wheatland, IA | 997 | 86 | 14.2% |
| Calamus, IA | 366 | 85 | 15.0% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Gainesville, AL | 366 | 102 | 1.5% |
| Central, AZ | 366 | 110 | 9.9% |
| Clarksburg, CA | 366 | 112 | 11.6% |
| Gumbranch, GA | 366 | 85 | 14.6% |
| Brewster, KS | 366 | 81 | 19.4% |
| Calamus, IA | 366 | 85 | 15.0% |