| Index | Dawson | Iowa | National |
| Cost of living | 82 | 88 | 100 |
| Goods & Services | 97 | 94 | 100 |
| Groceries | 96 | 97 | 100 |
| Health care | 106 | 96 | 100 |
| Housing | 45 | 74 | 100 |
| Transportation | 98 | 99 | 100 |
| Utilities | 95 | 88 | 100 |


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| 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 | $82,344 | $6,862 | $1,921 | $2,471 |
| Renters | $85,197 | $7,100 | $1,988 | $2,556 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Iowa | 6% | 7% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Iowa | 4.4% | 6% |
| Item | Dawson | National avg. | Difference |
| Haircut | $29.42 | $27.62 | 6.5% |
| Beauty Salon | $49.92 | $51.11 | 2.3% |
| Toothpaste | $4.07 | $4.09 | 0.6% |
| Shampoo | $1.56 | $1.54 | 1.2% |
| Movie | $9.08 | $12.88 | 29.5% |
| Yoga | $15.83 | $19.66 | 19.5% |
| Item | Dawson | National avg. | Difference |
| Ground Beef | $7.25 | $7.70 | 5.9% |
| Fried Chicken | $1.50 | $1.66 | 9.8% |
| Milk | $4.61 | $4.73 | 2.6% |
| Potatoes | $5.06 | $5.26 | 3.7% |
| Pizza | $12.21 | $12.76 | 4.3% |
| Beer | $10.35 | $10.55 | 1.9% |
| Item | Dawson | National avg. | Difference |
| Optometrist | $203.37 | $140.06 | 45.2% |
| Doctor | $138.00 | $153.82 | 10.3% |
| Dentist | $110.22 | $123.15 | 10.5% |
| Ibuprofen | $12.17 | $11.73 | 3.7% |
| Lipitor | $32.31 | $23.61 | 36.8% |
| Item | Dawson | National avg. | Difference |
| Home Price | $132,826.00 | $326,622.00 | 59.3% |
| Avg. Mortgage Payment | $2,442.43 | $2,480.25 | 1.5% |
| Apartment Rent | $803.00 | $1,444.00 | 44.4% |
| Item | Dawson | National avg. | Difference |
| Gasoline | $2.85 | $3.06 | 6.8% |
| Tire Balancing | $70.97 | $65.21 | 8.8% |
| Item | Dawson | National avg. | Difference |
| All Electricity | $205.49 | $220.12 | 6.6% |
| Phone | $191.50 | $195.71 | 2.2% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Berkley, IA | 9 | 97 | 2.8% |
| Beaver, IA | 69 | 76 | 23.5% |
| Bouton, IA | 169 | 79 | 20.7% |
| Jamaica, IA | 259 | 81 | 18.9% |
| Yale, IA | 381 | 77 | 22.6% |
| Dawson, IA | 158 | 82 | 18.4% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Aubrey, AR | 158 | 72 | 27.9% |
| New Edinburg, AR | 158 | 80 | 19.6% |
| Amador City, CA | 158 | 147 | 47.1% |
| Charleston Park, FL | 158 | 103 | 3.2% |
| Morriston, FL | 158 | 96 | 4.2% |
| Dawson, IA | 158 | 82 | 18.4% |