Iowa · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Pottawattamie County, IA

Prices around Pottawattamie County, IA run 8.1% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $73,602 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,368 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $54,720 a year.

Pottawattamie County, IA at a glance

Median household income

$73,602$6,134 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,368HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)91.9-8.1% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.9¢per kWh · EIA Residential IA
Population93,424Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Pottawattamie 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$1,368Monthly market rent
Share of gross income22.3%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$54,720To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,840At 30% of $73,602
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Pottawattamie County, IA, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,090$13,080$43,60017.8%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,148$13,776$45,92018.7%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,368$16,416$54,72022.3%
3-Bedroom Home$1,813$21,756$72,52029.6%
4-Bedroom Home$2,046$24,552$81,84033.4%

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

What a typical income covers in Pottawattamie County, IA

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $73,602 a year ($6,134 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,067/moRent ($1,368 2-BR), utilities (~$143/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,840/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,227/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $73,602 leaves after Iowa taxes

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

$73,602
$25,000$150,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$73,602
Net 79%
Fed 10%
IA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$58,464After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,872Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,249Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate20.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$7,362 / yr
Iowa state income tax$2,145 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,631 / yr

Living in Pottawattamie County, IA: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Pottawattamie County, IA is $73,602 per year (approximately $6,134 per month).

What is the average rent in Pottawattamie County, IA?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,090 for a studio, $1,148 for one bedroom, $1,368 for two, $1,813 for three and $2,046 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 Pottawattamie County, IA expensive to live in?

Prices there run 8.1% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 91.9, 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 Pottawattamie County, IA?

To keep a $1,368 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $54,720 a year, or $4,560 a month. That is 74% of what the typical household in Pottawattamie County, IA earns.

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

On the local median income of $73,602 ($6,134 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,067 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,840 for everything else and $1,227 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,368 takes 45% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Pottawattamie 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.