CostIndexUSA

Cedar Rapids, IA vs Charleston, WV Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostIA
Cedar Rapids
89
overall index
$1,100/mo rent
WV
Charleston
88.7
overall index
$1,000/mo rent

Cedar Rapids and Charleston have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing28.0%
Cedar Rapids
71.4
Charleston
51.4
🛒 Groceries+2.8%
Cedar Rapids
93.7
Charleston
96.3
🚗 Transportation+7.4%
Cedar Rapids
97.6
Charleston
104.8
🏥 Healthcare+7.4%
Cedar Rapids
88.3
Charleston
94.8
Utilities+9.2%
Cedar Rapids
84
Charleston
91.7

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Cedar Rapids to see what you'd need to earn in Charleston to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Charleston, WV
$79,700
$300 less needed in Charleston

Formula: salary × (88.7 ÷ 89) = salary × 0.9966. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Cedar Rapids, IA

Median Home Price
$230,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,100
Housing Index
71.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.4×

Charleston, WV

Median Home Price
$143,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,000
Housing Index
51.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
11.9×

Cedar Rapids has 28.0% lower housing costs compared to Charleston.

Income & Job Market

Cedar Rapids, IA

Median Household Income
$73,600
Per Capita Income
$42,000
Unemployment Rate
2.9%
Population
133,562
Top Industries
ManufacturingHealthcareFinanceTechnologyAgriculture

Charleston, WV

Median Household Income
$55,400
Per Capita Income
$31,600
Unemployment Rate
5.1%
Population
47,068
Top Industries
GovernmentHealthcareEnergyFinanceEducation

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Cedar Rapids, IA
5.6×income-to-rent ratio

82% of income left after rent (median)

Charleston, WV
4.6×income-to-rent ratio

78% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.