| Index | Story City | Iowa | National |
| Cost of living | 90 | 89 | 100 |
| Groceries | 98 | 97 | 100 |
| Health care | 95 | 96 | 100 |
| Housing | 79 | 74 | 100 |
| Transportation | 96 | 97 | 100 |
| Utilities | 92 | 95 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 92 | 95 | 100 |
| Household Items | 98 | 97 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 90 | 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 | $124,125 | $10,344 | $2,896 | $3,724 |
| Renters | $34,249 | $2,854 | $799 | $1,028 |
| 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. |
| Kamrar, IA | 192 | 95 | 5.3% |
| Garden City, IA | 156 | 74 | 25.5% |
| Hubbard, IA | 788 | 81 | 19.4% |
| Radcliffe, IA | 612 | 81 | 19.3% |
| Stanhope, IA | 507 | 82 | 18.4% |
| Story City, IA | 3,450 | 90 | 9.9% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Waterloo, WI | 3,450 | 95 | 4.5% |
| Saint-Maurice, QC | 3,450 | n/a | |
| Cleves, OH | 3,449 | 91 | 8.7% |
| Danville, QC | 3,449 | n/a | |
| La Salle, CO | 3,448 | 115 | 14.7% |
| Story City, IA | 3,450 | 90 | 9.9% |