Residential comparison · 13 facts
Johnston, IA vs Ottumwa, 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 Johnston needs about $78,000 in Ottumwa to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Ottumwa, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $92,000 in Johnston.
A few differences
- Johnston is higher on median household income ($106,551 vs $61,103).
- Ottumwa is lower on cost of living index (73 vs 93).
- Ottumwa is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($940/mo vs $1,364/mo).
Johnston vs Ottumwa · facet by facet
| Facet | Johnston, IA | Ottumwa, IA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $369,100 | $106,300 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,364/mo | $940/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 | 93 | 73 |
| Groceries index | 94 | 94 |
| Utilities | $150/mo | $150/mo |
| Median household income | $106,551 | $61,103 |
| 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: Johnston, IA · Ottumwa, IA
Questions & answers
- Is Johnston cheaper than Ottumwa?
- Ottumwa has the lower day-to-day cost index (73 vs 93 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Ottumwa equals $85,000 in Johnston?
- A household earning $85,000 in Johnston needs about $78,000 in Ottumwa to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Ottumwa lifestyle costs about $92,000 in Johnston.