Iowa · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Guthrie County, IA

Prices around Guthrie County, IA run 8.3% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $77,711 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,318 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $52,720 a year.

Guthrie County, IA at a glance

Median household income

$77,711$6,476 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,318HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)91.7-8.3% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.9¢per kWh · EIA Residential IA
Population10,688Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Guthrie County, IA?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,318Monthly market rent
Share of gross income20.4%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$52,720To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,943At 30% of $77,711
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Guthrie County, IA? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Guthrie County, IA, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,063$12,756$42,52016.4%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,109$13,308$44,36017.1%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,318$15,816$52,72020.4%
3-Bedroom Home$1,794$21,528$71,76027.7%
4-Bedroom Home$1,841$22,092$73,64028.4%

Rent in Guthrie County, IA, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Guthrie County, IA

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $77,711 a year ($6,476 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,238/moRent ($1,318 2-BR), utilities (~$143/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,943/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,295/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $77,711 leaves after Iowa taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Iowa tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$77,711
$30,000$160,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$77,711
Net 79%
Fed 11%
IA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$61,198After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,100Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,354Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate21.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$8,266 / yr
Iowa state income tax$2,301 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,945 / yr

Living in Guthrie County, IA: common questions

What is the median household income in Guthrie County, IA?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Guthrie County, IA is $77,711 per year (approximately $6,476 per month).

What is the average rent in Guthrie County, IA?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,063 for a studio, $1,109 for one bedroom, $1,318 for two, $1,794 for three and $1,841 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Guthrie County, IA expensive to live in?

Prices there run 8.3% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 91.7, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Guthrie County, IA?

To keep a $1,318 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $52,720 a year, or $4,393 a month. That is 68% of what the typical household in Guthrie County, IA earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Guthrie County, IA?

On the local median income of $77,711 ($6,476 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,238 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,943 for everything else and $1,295 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,318 takes 41% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Guthrie County, IA?

Homes in Iowa paid 15.9¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $143. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.