Iowa · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Warren County, IA

Prices around Warren County, IA run 8.3% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $94,588 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.

Warren County, IA at a glance

Median household income

$94,588$7,882 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
Population54,409Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Warren 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 income16.7%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$52,720To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,365At 30% of $94,588
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Warren 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 Warren County, IA, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,063$12,756$42,52013.5%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,109$13,308$44,36014.1%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,318$15,816$52,72016.7%
3-Bedroom Home$1,794$21,528$71,76022.8%
4-Bedroom Home$1,841$22,092$73,64023.4%

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

What a typical income covers in Warren County, IA

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $94,588 a year ($7,882 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,941/moRent ($1,318 2-BR), utilities (~$143/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,365/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,576/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $94,588 leaves after Iowa taxes

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

$94,588
$35,000$190,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$94,588
Net 77%
Fed 13%
IA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$72,430After all taxes
Monthly deposit$6,036Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,786Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate23.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$11,979 / yr
Iowa state income tax$2,943 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$7,236 / yr

Living in Warren County, IA: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Warren County, IA is $94,588 per year (approximately $7,882 per month).

What is the average rent in Warren 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 Warren 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 Warren 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 56% of what the typical household in Warren County, IA earns.

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

On the local median income of $94,588 ($7,882 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,941 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,365 for everything else and $1,576 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,318 takes 33% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Warren 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.