Cost of Living & Housing in Creston
Creston's cost of living centers on a real, genuine affordability advantage in housing, offset by an effective property tax rate that runs meaningfully above both the national and Iowa statewide medians.
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Learn moreGenuinely affordable housing
Creston's Ownwell-cited median home price ran approximately $101,140, genuinely affordable relative to national norms. A confirmed, city-specific median rent figure and a Zillow-specific typical value were not found with confidence this pass (base record).
A 1.89% effective property tax rate and a below-national $1,869 bill
Creston's own 1.89% effective property tax rate (Ownwell) runs meaningfully above both the national median (~1.02%) and Iowa's own statewide figure -- though the resulting $1,869 median annual bill still runs below the $2,400 national median bill because Creston's underlying home values run low (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 Creston were not found with confidence this pass -- confirm both directly with a local property manager and the Creston Area Chamber of Commerce (base record).
Key takeaways
- Creston's $101,140 Ownwell median home price runs genuinely affordable relative to national norms.
- Creston's own 1.89% effective property tax rate runs above both the national and Iowa statewide medians, though the resulting $1,869 bill still runs below the national median bill.
- Iowa's 3.8% flat income tax and full Social Security/55+ retirement-income exemption apply in Creston 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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