| Index | Houghton | Iowa | National |
| Cost of living index | 83 | 90 | 100 |
| Index | Houghton | Iowa | National |
| Goods & Services index | 89 | 96 | 100 |
| Groceries index | 97 | 98 | 100 |
| Health care index | 99 | 100 | 100 |
| Housing index | 60 | 73 | 100 |
| Transportation index | 90 | 101 | 100 |
| Utilities index | 109 | 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 | $88,000 | $7,333 | $2,053 | $2,640 |
| Renters | $51,750 | $4,313 | $1,207 | $1,553 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Iowa | 6% | 7% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Iowa | 0.36% | 8.98% |
| Item | Houghton | National avg. | Difference |
| Haircut | $13.97 | $17.49 | 20.1% |
| Beauty Salon | $20.49 | $38.17 | 46.3% |
| Toothpaste | $2.16 | $2.32 | 6.9% |
| Shampoo | $1.05 | $1.01 | 3.8% |
| Movie | $9.00 | $10.72 | 16.1% |
| Bowling | $7.75 | $13.86 | 44.1% |
| Item | Houghton | National avg. | Difference |
| Ground Beef | $3.39 | $3.90 | 13.1% |
| Fried Chicken | $1.55 | $1.40 | 11.1% |
| Milk | $2.15 | $1.96 | 9.6% |
| Potatoes | $2.49 | $3.18 | 21.8% |
| Pizza | $10.70 | $10.39 | 2.9% |
| Beer | $9.99 | $9.23 | 8.2% |
| Item | Houghton | National avg. | Difference |
| Optometrist | $101.00 | $106.34 | 5.0% |
| Doctor | $121.00 | $115.25 | 5.0% |
| Dentist | $86.00 | $98.38 | 12.6% |
| Ibuprofen | $9.49 | $9.26 | 2.5% |
| Lipitor | $536.88 | $466.47 | 15.1% |
| Item | Houghton | National avg. | Difference |
| Home Price | $125,000.00 | $184,700.00 | 32.3% |
| Avg. Mortgage Payment | $892.73 | $1,273.32 | 29.9% |
| Apartment Rent | $392.00 | $949.00 | 58.7% |
| Item | Houghton | National avg. | Difference |
| Gasoline | $2.52 | $2.59 | 3.0% |
| Tire Balancing | $39.00 | $48.90 | 20.2% |
| Item | Houghton | National avg. | Difference |
| All Electricity | $196.50 | $167.60 | 17.2% |
| Phone | $177.99 | $163.42 | 8.9% |
| City, State | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Hillsboro, IA | 228 | 75 | -25% |
| Bonaparte, IA | 441 | 76 | -24% |
| Rome, IA | 164 | 76 | -24% |
| Farmington, IA | 961 | 76 | -24% |
| Stockport, IA | 250 | 77 | -23% |
| Houghton, IA | 152 | 83 | -17% |
| City, State | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Spruce Pine, AL | 152 | 93 | -7% |
| Whitehaven, MD | 152 | 106 | 6% |
| Riverside, OR | 152 | 93 | -7% |
| Pleasanton, NM | 152 | 88 | -12% |
| Barnesville, MD | 152 | 160 | 60% |
| Houghton, IA | 152 | 83 | -17% |