Iowa · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Scott County, IA

Prices around Scott County, IA run 10.9% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $78,277 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,143 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $45,720 a year.

Scott County, IA at a glance

Median household income

$78,277$6,523 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,143HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)89.1-10.9% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.9¢per kWh · EIA Residential IA
Population174,608Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Scott 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$1,143Monthly market rent
Share of gross income17.5%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$45,720To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,957At 30% of $78,277
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Scott County, IA, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$817$9,804$32,68012.5%
1-Bedroom Apartment$928$11,136$37,12014.2%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,143$13,716$45,72017.5%
3-Bedroom Home$1,498$17,976$59,92023%
4-Bedroom Home$1,819$21,828$72,76027.9%

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

What a typical income covers in Scott County, IA

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $78,277 a year ($6,523 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,262/moRent ($1,143 2-BR), utilities (~$143/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,957/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,305/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $78,277 leaves after Iowa taxes

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

$78,277
$30,000$160,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$78,277
Net 79%
Fed 11%
IA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$61,575After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,131Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,368Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate21.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$8,391 / yr
Iowa state income tax$2,323 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,988 / yr

Living in Scott County, IA: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Scott County, IA is $78,277 per year (approximately $6,523 per month).

What is the average rent in Scott County, IA?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $817 for a studio, $928 for one bedroom, $1,143 for two, $1,498 for three and $1,819 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 Scott County, IA expensive to live in?

Prices there run 10.9% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 89.1, 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 Scott County, IA?

To keep a $1,143 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $45,720 a year, or $3,810 a month. That is 58% of what the typical household in Scott County, IA earns.

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

On the local median income of $78,277 ($6,523 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,262 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,957 for everything else and $1,305 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,143 takes 35% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Scott 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.