| Index | Elkader | Iowa | National |
| Cost of living | 84 | 90 | 100 |
| Index | Elkader | Iowa | National |
| Goods & Services | 97 | 96 | 100 |
| Groceries | 101 | 98 | 100 |
| Health care | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Housing | 51 | 73 | 100 |
| Transportation | 88 | 101 | 100 |
| Utilities | 106 | 98 | 100 |
| 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 | $54,231 | $4,519 | $1,265 | $1,627 |
| Renters | $32,778 | $2,732 | $765 | $983 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Iowa | 6% | 7% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Iowa | 0.33% | 8.53% |
| Item | Elkader | National avg. | Difference |
| Haircut | $17.02 | $17.49 | 2.7% |
| Beauty Salon | $30.00 | $38.17 | 21.4% |
| Toothpaste | $3.16 | $2.32 | 36.2% |
| Shampoo | $1.10 | $1.01 | 8.7% |
| Movie | $8.37 | $10.72 | 22.0% |
| Bowling | $18.42 | $13.86 | 32.9% |
| Item | Elkader | National avg. | Difference |
| Ground Beef | $3.85 | $3.90 | 1.3% |
| Fried Chicken | $1.44 | $1.40 | 3.2% |
| Milk | $2.17 | $1.96 | 10.6% |
| Potatoes | $2.85 | $3.18 | 10.5% |
| Pizza | $10.78 | $10.39 | 3.7% |
| Beer | $9.34 | $9.23 | 1.2% |
| Item | Elkader | National avg. | Difference |
| Optometrist | $70.75 | $106.34 | 33.5% |
| Doctor | $155.50 | $115.25 | 34.9% |
| Dentist | $80.17 | $98.38 | 18.5% |
| Ibuprofen | $8.58 | $9.26 | 7.4% |
| Lipitor | $491.58 | $466.47 | 5.4% |
| Item | Elkader | National avg. | Difference |
| Home Price | $84,200.00 | $184,700.00 | 54.4% |
| Avg. Mortgage Payment | $1,031.73 | $1,273.32 | 19.0% |
| Apartment Rent | $601.00 | $949.00 | 36.7% |
| Item | Elkader | National avg. | Difference |
| Gasoline | $2.66 | $2.59 | 2.5% |
| Tire Balancing | $32.99 | $48.90 | 32.5% |
| Item | Elkader | National avg. | Difference |
| All Electricity | $188.14 | $167.60 | 12.3% |
| Phone | $177.99 | $163.42 | 8.9% |
| City, State | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Elkport, IA | 25 | 98 | -2% |
| St. Olaf, IA | 138 | 78 | -22% |
| Garber, IA | 129 | 80 | -20% |
| Arlington, IA | 526 | 77 | -23% |
| Wadena, IA | 279 | 78 | -22% |
| Elkader, IA | 1,325 | 84 | -16% |
| City, State | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Alton, IA | 1,325 | 85 | -15% |
| Vardaman, MS | 1,325 | 73 | -27% |
| Vance, AL | 1,325 | 89 | -11% |
| Fort Benton, MT | 1,325 | 90 | -10% |
| Castleton-on-Hudson, NY | 1,325 | 101 | 1% |
| Elkader, IA | 1,325 | 84 | -16% |
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