| Index | Dawson | Iowa | National |
| Cost of living | 83 | 90 | 100 |
| Goods & Services | 101 | 96 | 100 |
| Groceries | 98 | 97 | 100 |
| Health care | 110 | 99 | 100 |
| Housing | 44 | 73 | 100 |
| Transportation | 97 | 98 | 100 |
| Utilities | 96 | 96 | 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 | $54,583 | $4,549 | $1,274 | $1,638 |
| Renters | $56,563 | $4,714 | $1,320 | $1,697 |
| 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 | $24.39 | $24.26 | 0.5% |
| Beauty Salon | $40.50 | $45.56 | 11.1% |
| Toothpaste | $3.81 | $3.70 | 2.8% |
| Shampoo | $1.42 | $1.28 | 10.9% |
| Movie | $8.29 | $12.13 | 31.7% |
| Bowling | $20.00 | $18.00 | 11.1% |
| Item | Dawson | National avg. | Difference |
| Ground Beef | $6.53 | $5.84 | 11.8% |
| Fried Chicken | $1.36 | $1.57 | 13.3% |
| Milk | $4.72 | $4.67 | 1.1% |
| Potatoes | $5.02 | $4.93 | 1.8% |
| Pizza | $12.12 | $12.09 | 0.3% |
| Beer | $9.65 | $10.41 | 7.3% |
| Item | Dawson | National avg. | Difference |
| Optometrist | $159.11 | $125.68 | 26.6% |
| Doctor | $176.92 | $135.78 | 30.3% |
| Dentist | $107.00 | $113.29 | 5.5% |
| Ibuprofen | $10.54 | $10.65 | 1.1% |
| Lipitor | $512.13 | $468.60 | 9.3% |
| Item | Dawson | National avg. | Difference |
| Home Price | $72,200.00 | $184,700.00 | 60.9% |
| Avg. Mortgage Payment | $2,009.00 | $2,346.69 | 14.4% |
| Apartment Rent | $528.00 | $949.00 | 44.4% |
| Item | Dawson | National avg. | Difference |
| Gasoline | $3.38 | $3.46 | 2.3% |
| Tire Balancing | $57.22 | $59.92 | 4.5% |
| Item | Dawson | National avg. | Difference |
| All Electricity | $182.60 | $193.99 | 5.9% |
| Phone | $187.02 | $192.25 | 2.7% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Berkley, IA | 9 | 99 | 0.7% |
| Beaver, IA | 67 | 78 | 22.4% |
| Bouton, IA | 165 | 80 | 19.6% |
| Jamaica, IA | 250 | 82 | 17.7% |
| Yale, IA | 368 | 79 | 21.1% |
| Dawson, IA | 152 | 83 | 17.3% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| North Johns, AL | 152 | 83 | 17.4% |
| Benbow, CA | 152 | 132 | 32.5% |
| Dobbins, CA | 152 | 112 | 11.6% |
| Snyder, CO | 152 | 89 | 11.4% |
| Beaman, IA | 152 | 76 | 23.7% |
| Dawson, IA | 152 | 83 | 17.3% |