Iowa · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Wapello County, IA

Prices around Wapello County, IA run 12.2% below the U.S. average (BEA, Iowa). The typical household there earns $64,766 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,068 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $42,720 a year.

Wapello County, IA at a glance

Median household income

$64,766$5,397 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,068HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)87.8-12.2% · BEA, Iowa
Electricity15.9¢per kWh · EIA Residential IA
Population35,362Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Wapello 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$1,068Monthly market rent
Share of gross income19.8%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$42,720To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,619At 30% of $64,766
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Wapello County, IA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Wapello County, IA, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$793$9,516$31,72014.7%
1-Bedroom Apartment$814$9,768$32,56015.1%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,068$12,816$42,72019.8%
3-Bedroom Home$1,354$16,248$54,16025.1%
4-Bedroom Home$1,468$17,616$58,72027.2%

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

What a typical income covers in Wapello County, IA

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $64,766 a year ($5,397 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,699/moRent ($1,068 2-BR), utilities (~$143/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,619/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,079/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $64,766 leaves after Iowa taxes

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

$64,766
$25,000$130,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$64,766
Net 81%
Fed 9%
IA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$52,410After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,368Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,016Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,592 / yr
Iowa state income tax$1,809 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,955 / yr

Living in Wapello County, IA: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Wapello County, IA is $64,766 per year (approximately $5,397 per month).

What is the average rent in Wapello County, IA?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $793 for a studio, $814 for one bedroom, $1,068 for two, $1,354 for three and $1,468 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 Wapello County, IA expensive to live in?

Prices there run 12.2% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for Iowa is 87.8, 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 Wapello County, IA?

To keep a $1,068 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $42,720 a year, or $3,560 a month. That is 66% of what the typical household in Wapello County, IA earns.

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

On the local median income of $64,766 ($5,397 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,699 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,619 for everything else and $1,079 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,068 takes 40% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Wapello 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.