Residential comparison · 13 facts
Cedar Falls, IA vs Cedar Rapids, IA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Cedar Falls needs about $82,500 in Cedar Rapids to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Cedar Rapids, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $87,500 in Cedar Falls.
A few differences
- Cedar Falls is higher on median household income ($76,987 vs $70,424).
- Cedar Rapids is lower on cost of living index (79 vs 84).
- Cedar Rapids is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,036/mo vs $1,141/mo).
Cedar Falls vs Cedar Rapids · facet by facet
| Facet | Cedar Falls, IA | Cedar Rapids, IA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $263,600 | $187,100 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,141/mo | $1,036/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| State & local income tax | 5.3% | 5.3% |
| Sales tax | 6.9% | 6.9% |
| Cost of living index | 84 | 79 |
| Groceries index | 94 | 94 |
| Utilities | $150/mo | $150/mo |
| Median household income | $76,987 | $70,424 |
| Unemployment rate | 3% | 3% |
| Crime index | 38/100 | 38/100 |
| School rating | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 200 days | 200 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Cedar Falls, IA · Cedar Rapids, IA
Questions & answers
- Is Cedar Falls cheaper than Cedar Rapids?
- Cedar Rapids has the lower day-to-day cost index (79 vs 84 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Cedar Rapids equals $85,000 in Cedar Falls?
- A household earning $85,000 in Cedar Falls needs about $82,500 in Cedar Rapids to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Cedar Rapids lifestyle costs about $87,500 in Cedar Falls.