Cost of Living in Story County, IA

Modeled annual cost: $45,887.

Median family income: $116,208.

Affordability Snapshot

IA County Median

$43,186

State Rank

8thMost expensive counties in IA out of 99See Iowa county rankings

Median Income

$116,208

Location Type

Metro

Biggest category:

Transport is the biggest expense in Story County, IA.

$12,773 per year.

Cost breakdown

Total

$45,887

Per year

  • Transport:$12,773
  • Housing:$10,500
  • Taxes:$8,944
  • Healthcare:$4,740
  • Other Costs:$4,603
  • Food:$4,327
  • Childcare:$0

* Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Cheaper counties in Iowa

1Lee County, IA
$40,922
2Webster County, IA
$40,946
3Carroll County, IA
$41,086
4Jones County, IA
$41,206
5Mahaska County, IA
$41,294

Popular comparisons in Iowa

See how Story County, IA compares across the country.

Explore our cost of living interactive map to compare Story County, IA with multiple counties in the United States.

Use the Cost of Living Map Launch WatchPennies cost of living map
How WatchPennies calculates salary needed
Cost of Living in Story County, IA (2026)