Arkansas City, KS vs Fort Madison, IA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Fort Madison, IA has a modeled overall cost index 2.3% lower than Arkansas City, KS.

Arkansas City, KS · modeled 2BR rent: $890 / month
Fort Madison, IA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,010 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Arkansas City, KS and Fort Madison, IA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Arkansas City, KS

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $129/month in Fort Madison, IA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $148,458 in Fort Madison, IA

Regional cost estimates: Arkansas City, KS uses Wichita, KS. Fort Madison, IA uses Des Moines, IA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 2.3%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$129

Savings

Annual Impact

$1.5K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Arkansas City, KS

Population:12K

Cost Index:

80.2

100 = national average

Typical Home:$96K

Fort Madison, IA

Population:10K

Cost Index:

78.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$102K

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Arkansas City, KS

The Sunflower State

12K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Kansas, this city has a population of 12K residents.

Fort Madison, IA

The Hawkeye State

10K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Iowa, this city has a population of 10K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Arkansas City, KS vs Fort Madison, IA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Arkansas City, KS	Fort Madison, IA	Difference	Change
Other	$1,869/mo	$1,709/mo	↓ $160less	8.6%
Housing	$1,892/mo	$1,990/mo	↑ $98.03more	5.2%
All Utilities	$632/mo	$536/mo	↓ $96.15less	15.2%
Healthcare	$687/mo	$777/mo	↑ $89.78more	13.1%
Transportation	$1,370/mo	$1,322/mo	↓ $47.52less	3.5%
Groceries	$1,050/mo	$1,037/mo	↓ $12.72less	1.2%

Other

↓ 8.6%

Arkansas City, KS

$1,869

Fort Madison, IA

$1,709

Difference

$160

less

Housing

↑ 5.2%

Arkansas City, KS

$1,892

Fort Madison, IA

$1,990

Difference

$98.03

All Utilities

↓ 15.2%

Arkansas City, KS

$632

Fort Madison, IA

$536

Difference

$96.15

less

Healthcare

↑ 13.1%

Arkansas City, KS

$687

Fort Madison, IA

$777

Difference

$89.78

Transportation

↓ 3.5%

Arkansas City, KS

$1,370

Fort Madison, IA

$1,322

Difference

$47.52

less

Groceries

↓ 1.2%

Arkansas City, KS

$1,050

Fort Madison, IA

$1,037

Difference

$12.72

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$650

To$700

↑ $50.00

1 Bed

From$680

To$770

↑ $90.00

2 Bed

From$890

To$1,010

↑ $120

3 Bed

From$1,160

To$1,330

↑ $170

Arkansas City, KSZIP-level data

1BR range: $680–$680/mo

Fort Madison, IAZIP-level data

1BR range: $770–$770/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Arkansas City, KS

$7,371

Monthly in Fort Madison, IA

$129

Difference

Home Values

Arkansas City

Fort Madison

$96K

Median Value

$102K

↓ -2.8%

YoY Change

↓ -3%

↑ +43.1%

5-Year Change

↑ +12.4%

Homes in Fort Madison are 6% more expensive than Arkansas City

Calculate payment - Arkansas City Calculate payment - Fort Madison

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $2.3K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$190

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.5%

Rate difference

Arkansas City, KS

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Kansas State Tax

Effective: 5.6%

$8.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.3%

$45.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,714/month

$104.6K

Fort Madison, IA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Iowa State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.7K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.7K

Take-Home Pay

$8,524/month

$102.3K

Additional Tax Information

Arkansas City, KS Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.7%

Property Tax:1.3%

Fort Madison, IA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.4%

Property Tax:1.5%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Arkansas City

Fort Madison

43 Good

Air Quality

45 Good

75.1%

Good Air Days

67.5%

97 High

Climate Risk

92 Moderate

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌡☀🌪

▲+3.1°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

61 days

Heat Days >95°F

25 days

▲+3.1°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

61 days

Heat Days >95°F

25 days

Before moving from Arkansas City, KS to Fort Madison, IA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Fort Madison, IA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Arkansas City, KS. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Arkansas City to Fort Madison moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Fort Madison, IA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Arkansas City, KS vs Fort Madison, IA

How do the cost estimates for Arkansas City, KS and Fort Madison, IA compare?

Fort Madison, IA has a modeled overall cost index 2.3% lower than Arkansas City, KS. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Arkansas City, KS, the model estimates $148,458 in Fort Madison, IA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Arkansas City, KS and Fort Madison, IA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $890/month in Arkansas City, KS and $1,010/month in Fort Madison, IA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Kansas and Iowa on TaxTakeHome.com

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