Cost of Living & Housing in Atlantic
Atlantic's cost of living centers on a real, genuine affordability advantage in housing, offset by an effective property tax rate that runs above both the national median and every other city in Cass County.
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Learn moreGenuinely affordable housing, with a real cross-source spread to confirm
Atlantic's Ownwell-cited median home price runs approximately $123,060, and Zillow's separately calculated typical home value runs somewhat higher, approximately $141,000 -- both well below national medians, though this record discloses the spread rather than resolving it to one number. Cass County's own broader 2024 median value ran $150,300 (base record).
A 1.58% effective property tax rate, the highest in Cass County
Atlantic's own 1.58% effective property tax rate (Ownwell) produces a $1,889 median annual tax bill, and is genuinely the HIGHEST rate among Cass County's own cities -- Wiota, by contrast, carries the county's lowest rate at 1.07% (base record).
Iowa's 3.8% flat income tax and no local-option add-on
Iowa's real, current flat individual income tax rate is 3.8% on all taxable income for tax year 2026, with no local-option city or county income tax anywhere in the state and a full exemption for Social Security and qualifying retirement income for residents 55 and older (base record).
Confirm current rent and employer data directly
A reliable, city-specific median rent figure and a confirmed, current named-employer list for Atlantic were not found with confidence this pass -- confirm both directly with a local property manager and the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce or Cass County's economic development office (base record).
Key takeaways
- Atlantic's housing runs genuinely affordable: approximately $123,060 (Ownwell median price) to $141,000 (Zillow typical value).
- Atlantic's own 1.58% effective property tax rate is the highest of any city in Cass County, producing a $1,889 median annual bill.
- Iowa's 3.8% flat income tax and full Social Security/55+ retirement-income exemption apply in Atlantic as they do statewide.
- A confirmed, current rent figure and named-employer list were not found with confidence this pass -- confirm both directly.
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