Harlan, IA Cost Of Living

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Harlan cost of living index

In the event that the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used. Each cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. If the amount is below 100, it is lower than the national average. If the amount is above 100, it is higher than the national average.
Index	Harlan	Iowa	National
Cost of living index	83	90	100
Index	Harlan	Iowa	National
Goods & Services index	91	96	100
Groceries index	98	98	100
Health care index	95	100	100
Housing index	56	73	100
Transportation index	96	101	100
Utilities index	99	98	100

An overview of the general cost of living index for Harlan, IA is displayed above for your reference. Residents in Harlan, IA enjoy a cost of living index of 83. This index is 9% lower than the Iowa average, and 17% lower than the national average. The following categories are used when determining the cost of living index for any given city: health care (5%), transportation (9%), utilities (10%), groceries (13%), housing (30%), and goods/services (33%). Clearly, housing and goods/services make up the majority of the formula for calculating the cost of living index. Because of this, the general cost of living for any given area can be estimated by looking at the cost of everyday goods in that area. For those living in Harlan, IA, the average cost of goods and services is 6% lower than it is in Iowa, and it is 10% lower than the national average.

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Did you know?

The cost of living in Harlan is 9% lower than the Iowa average.
The cost of living in Harlan is 17% lower than the national average.
The cost of housing in Harlan is 44% lower than the national average.
Iowa general sales tax is 18% higher than the national average.
Iowa state income tax is 84% lower than the national average.

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Compare Harlan, IA Cost of living To Other Cities

Salary Calculator

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Price difference in compared to

Cost of living index
Goods & Services index
Groceries index
Health care index
Housing index
Transportation index
Utilities index

The salary calculator is used in order to provide a comparison of your current salary in Harlan, IA to another city of your choice. The calculator will inform you of what your salary needs to be in any specific city in order for you to maintain your living standard based on what the city’s cost of living is. As an example, if you are seeking to move to a city that has a higher cost of living compared to Harlan, IA, you would have to earn a higher income to maintain a standard of living that is similar. To get started with the Harlan, IA salary calculator, input the new city’s name and then move the slider to indicate your current income. The salary calculator will now process the numbers and show you whether you need to earn more or less in the chosen city. A comprehensive breakdown of the cost of living will also be shown.

Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

Median Income	Per Year	Per Month	Max Budget (28% DTI)	Max Budget (36% DTI)
Owners	$55,313	$4,609	$1,291	$1,660
Renters	$22,755	$1,896	$531	$683

How much of your monthly income goes to housing can tell you whether or not you can afford housing in Harlan, IA, as well as what the average cost of living is. Generally, a good rule to follow is that the debt-to-income (DTI) level you want to maintain is 28 percent or less of your income on your rent or mortgage payment and not more than 36 percent of income on all expenses and debts. In Harlan, IA homeowners have a median income of $55,313. Using that number, you will come up with a maximum of $1,291 per month that can be spent on the cost of housing. For those who are renting instead of owning, the median income is $22,755, which means there is a maximum of $531 to be spent on the costs of renting a home or apartment.

Iowa Sales Tax

State	General Sales Tax	With Max Surtax
Iowa	6%	7%

Iowa Income Tax

State	Income Tax (Low)	Income Tax (High)
Iowa	0.36%	8.98%

When assessing the complete cost of living in Harlan, IA, the Iowa income tax and the Iowa sales tax percentages should unquestionably be taken into consideration. Sales taxes aren't just levies imposed onto sold goods, but they also include taxes that are charged when services are provided for a fee. The rates are different from state to state and can run has high as 7 percent. Some states have no sales tax at all. The Iowa maximum surtax is 7%, and the Iowa sales tax is 6%. By contrast, income tax is an unfortunate obligation that is charged by the government against earnings. Just like sales taxes, the rates for income taxes differ from state to state. They also decrease or increase according to the individual's tax bracket. Tax rates can run as high as 9 percent, with a minimum of zero. Income tax rates range from 0.36% to 8.98% in Iowa.

Goods & Services

Item	Harlan	National avg.	Difference
Haircut	$16.60	$17.49	5.1%
Beauty Salon	$31.57	$38.17	17.3%
Toothpaste	$1.93	$2.32	16.8%
Shampoo	$0.90	$1.01	11.1%
Movie	$10.64	$10.72	0.8%
Bowling	$15.33	$13.86	10.6%

Groceries

Item	Harlan	National avg.	Difference
Ground Beef	$3.09	$3.90	20.8%
Fried Chicken	$1.89	$1.40	35.4%
Milk	$1.67	$1.96	14.9%
Potatoes	$3.82	$3.18	20.0%
Pizza	$9.99	$10.39	3.9%
Beer	$9.13	$9.23	1.1%

Health Care

Item	Harlan	National avg.	Difference
Optometrist	$119.80	$106.34	12.7%
Doctor	$122.85	$115.25	6.6%
Dentist	$76.96	$98.38	21.8%
Ibuprofen	$9.50	$9.26	2.6%
Lipitor	$484.42	$466.47	3.8%

Housing

Item	Harlan	National avg.	Difference
Home Price	$95,200.00	$184,700.00	48.5%
Avg. Mortgage Payment	$1,075.78	$1,273.32	15.5%
Apartment Rent	$621.00	$949.00	34.6%

Transportation

Item	Harlan	National avg.	Difference
Gasoline	$2.49	$2.59	4.1%
Tire Balancing	$48.37	$48.90	1.1%

Utilities

Item	Harlan	National avg.	Difference
All Electricity	$158.16	$167.60	5.6%
Phone	$191.59	$163.42	17.2%

Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

Nearby cities with low cost of living

City, State	Population	Cost of Living Index	National Avg.
Corley, IA	29	94	-6%
Jacksonville, IA	32	94	-6%
Kirkman, IA	65	75	-25%
Irwin, IA	328	77	-23%
Kimballton, IA	339	78	-22%
Harlan, IA	5,008	83	-17%

Cities with similar population

City, State	Population	Cost of Living Index	National Avg.
Demarest, NJ	5,007	184	84%
Kahaluu, HI	5,009	207	107%
Auburn, IL	5,006	89	-11%
Whiskey Creek, FL	5,011	108	8%
Holbrook, AZ	5,011	90	-10%
Harlan, IA	5,008	83	-17%

Source: The Harlan, IA cost of living data displayed above is derived from the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) for 2019.

Harlan, IA Cost of Living