States › Iowa › Clear Lake

Is Clear Lake, IA expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 20 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,43518% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$85,649about $7,137/month · 2% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$259,50022% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 62% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.0 years of household income. Commutes are short, about 18.6 minutes. Most homes (76.3%) are owned, so rentals can be hard to find.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $57,400 a year. That is $28 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Iowa cities?

No. Rent here is more expensive than in most of Iowa. It is number 68 of 86 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Clear Lake
$1,435
Decorah
$1,130
Knoxville
$1,125
Webster City
$1,186
Creston
$777
Washington
$1,071
Perry
$1,090

How much do households earn in Clear Lake?

Under $25k
14.5%
$25k–50k
22.8%
$50k–100k
31.5%
$100k–150k
14.6%
$150k+
14.8%

Share of households by yearly income. 29.4% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Clear Lake

SizeClear LakeU.S. average
1 bedroom$724$1,324
2 bedrooms$934$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,659$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Clear Lake overall?

Everyday prices in Iowa overall are 12% below the U.S. average (index 87.8, U.S. = 100).

Housing
65
Goods (food, clothes…)
94
Utilities
83
Other services
93
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Clear Lake, so the Iowa figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Clear Lake

🏛️ Property tax$3,307a year · 1.27% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$175a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Clear Lake

Commute to work18.6 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree30.5%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home76.3%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line8.3%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment2.4%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Clear Lake?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $366 a month less.

Renting
$1,435
Owning
$1,801

Owning assumes a typical $259,500 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $25,950 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Clear Lake, IA?

Renting in Clear Lake costs a median of about $1,435 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Iowa median is $1,071.

How much do I need to make to live in Clear Lake?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $57,400 a year, or $28 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Clear Lake cheap or expensive?

Clear Lake is rated OK: rent takes 20.1% of the typical household income of $85,649. It ranks 68th cheapest of 86 Iowa cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Clear Lake?

The median homeowner in Clear Lake pays $3,307 a year in property taxes, about 1.27% of the median home value.

Is Clear Lake more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Iowa are 12% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Clear Lake?

The median home value in Clear Lake is $259,500, about 3.0 times the typical yearly household income.

7,607 people live in Clear Lake. Numbers are typical (middle) values.