| Index | Dickens | Iowa | National |
| Cost of living | 82 | 90 | 100 |
| Goods & Services | 98 | 96 | 100 |
| Groceries | 99 | 97 | 100 |
| Health care | 111 | 99 | 100 |
| Housing | 46 | 73 | 100 |
| Transportation | 95 | 98 | 100 |
| Utilities | 92 | 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 | $67,639 | $5,637 | $1,578 | $2,029 |
| Renters | $46,250 | $3,854 | $1,079 | $1,388 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Iowa | 6% | 7% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Iowa | 4.4% | 6% |
| Item | Dickens | National avg. | Difference |
| Haircut | $25.06 | $24.26 | 3.3% |
| Beauty Salon | $40.42 | $45.56 | 11.3% |
| Toothpaste | $3.74 | $3.70 | 1.1% |
| Shampoo | $1.45 | $1.28 | 13.5% |
| Movie | $10.06 | $12.13 | 17.1% |
| Bowling | $15.00 | $18.00 | 16.7% |
| Item | Dickens | National avg. | Difference |
| Ground Beef | $5.78 | $5.84 | 1.1% |
| Fried Chicken | $1.41 | $1.57 | 10.4% |
| Milk | $4.58 | $4.67 | 1.9% |
| Potatoes | $4.68 | $4.93 | 5.2% |
| Pizza | $12.97 | $12.09 | 7.3% |
| Beer | $9.18 | $10.41 | 11.8% |
| Item | Dickens | National avg. | Difference |
| Optometrist | $144.10 | $125.68 | 14.7% |
| Doctor | $181.22 | $135.78 | 33.5% |
| Dentist | $110.22 | $113.29 | 2.7% |
| Ibuprofen | $11.40 | $10.65 | 7.0% |
| Lipitor | $486.32 | $468.60 | 3.8% |
| Item | Dickens | National avg. | Difference |
| Home Price | $74,100.00 | $184,700.00 | 59.9% |
| Avg. Mortgage Payment | $1,813.63 | $2,346.69 | 22.7% |
| Apartment Rent | $567.00 | $949.00 | 40.3% |
| Item | Dickens | National avg. | Difference |
| Gasoline | $3.31 | $3.46 | 4.2% |
| Tire Balancing | $54.83 | $59.92 | 8.5% |
| Item | Dickens | National avg. | Difference |
| All Electricity | $169.27 | $193.99 | 12.7% |
| Phone | $191.10 | $192.25 | 0.6% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Greenville, IA | 62 | 92 | 8.3% |
| Rossie, IA | 83 | 92 | 8.3% |
| Gillett Grove, IA | 26 | 70 | 29.5% |
| Curlew, IA | 67 | 77 | 23.4% |
| Ayrshire, IA | 145 | 78 | 22.2% |
| Dickens, IA | 206 | 82 | 17.9% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Hobson, AL | 206 | 94 | 6.1% |
| Almyra, AR | 206 | 82 | 17.6% |
| Jakes Corner, AZ | 206 | 79 | 20.7% |
| Dos Palos Y, CA | 206 | 102 | 1.9% |
| Rio, IL | 206 | 84 | 16.0% |
| Dickens, IA | 206 | 82 | 17.9% |