| Index | Dow City | Iowa | National |
| Cost of living | 82 | 89 | 100 |
| Groceries | 99 | 97 | 100 |
| Health care | 94 | 96 | 100 |
| Housing | 48 | 74 | 100 |
| Transportation | 98 | 97 | 100 |
| Utilities | 98 | 95 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 96 | 95 | 100 |
| Household Items | 97 | 97 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 96 | 94 | 100 |

| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $101,775 | $8,481 | $2,375 | $3,054 |
| Renters | $38,746 | $3,229 | $904 | $1,162 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Iowa | 6% | 7% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Iowa | 4.4% | 6% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Ricketts, IA | 96 | 72 | 27.7% |
| Arion, IA | 108 | 74 | 26.3% |
| Buck Grove, IA | 36 | 76 | 23.8% |
| Soldier, IA | 204 | 76 | 23.7% |
| Ute, IA | 327 | 80 | 20.4% |
| Dow City, IA | 449 | 82 | 17.7% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Rock Mills, AL | 449 | 80 | 20.2% |
| Horseshoe Lake, AR | 449 | 81 | 19.4% |
| Oak Grove, AR | 449 | 81 | 18.5% |
| Langleyville, IL | 449 | 86 | 13.9% |
| Interlochen, MI | 449 | 93 | 6.7% |
| Dow City, IA | 449 | 82 | 17.7% |