Cedar Falls, IA vs Lancaster, OH: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Lancaster, OH has a modeled overall cost index 3.5% lower than Cedar Falls, IA.

Cedar Falls, IA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,210 / month
Lancaster, OH · modeled 2BR rent: $1,170 / 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 Cedar Falls, IA and Lancaster, OH 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 Cedar Falls, IA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $190/month in Lancaster, OH

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $147,723 in Lancaster, OH

Regional cost estimates: Cedar Falls, IA uses Des Moines, IA. Lancaster, OH uses Columbus, OH. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 3.5%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$190

Savings

Annual Impact

$2.3K

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.

Cedar Falls, IA

Population:41K

Cost Index:

87.1

100 = national average

Typical Home:$255K

Lancaster, OH

Population:41K

Cost Index:

84.1

100 = national average

Typical Home:$263K

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Cedar Falls, IA

The Hawkeye State

41K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Iowa, this city has a population of 41K residents.

Lancaster, OH

The Buckeye State

41K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Ohio, this city has a population of 41K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Cedar Falls, IA vs Lancaster, OH

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	Cedar Falls, IA	Lancaster, OH	Difference	Change
Other	$1,768/mo	$1,654/mo	↓ $115less	6.5%
Housing	$2,059/mo	$1,963/mo	↓ $96.21less	4.7%
Healthcare	$762/mo	$667/mo	↓ $95.02less	12.5%
Transportation	$1,368/mo	$1,451/mo	↑ $83.19more	6.1%
Groceries	$1,017/mo	$1,065/mo	↑ $48.10more	4.7%
All Utilities	$526/mo	$510/mo	↓ $15.19less	2.9%

Other

↓ 6.5%

Cedar Falls, IA

$1,768

Lancaster, OH

$1,654

Difference

$115

less

Housing

↓ 4.7%

Cedar Falls, IA

$2,059

Lancaster, OH

$1,963

Difference

$96.21

less

Healthcare

↓ 12.5%

Cedar Falls, IA

$762

Lancaster, OH

$667

Difference

$95.02

less

Transportation

↑ 6.1%

Cedar Falls, IA

$1,368

Lancaster, OH

$1,451

Difference

$83.19

Groceries

↑ 4.7%

Cedar Falls, IA

$1,017

Lancaster, OH

$1,065

Difference

$48.10

All Utilities

↓ 2.9%

Cedar Falls, IA

$526

Lancaster, OH

$510

Difference

$15.19

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$830

To$910

↑ $80.00

1 Bed

From$920

To$980

↑ $60.00

2 Bed

From$1,210

To$1,170

↓ $40.00

3 Bed

From$1,560

To$1,400

↓ $160

Cedar Falls, IAZIP-level data

1BR range: $920–$920/mo

Lancaster, OHZIP-level data

1BR range: $980–$980/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 Cedar Falls, IA

$7,310

Monthly in Lancaster, OH

$190

Difference

Home Values

Cedar Falls

Lancaster

$255K

Median Value

$263K

↑ +3.5%

YoY Change

↑ +3.2%

↑ +31.7%

5-Year Change

↑ +43.1%

Homes in Lancaster are 3% more expensive than Cedar Falls

Calculate payment - Cedar Falls Calculate payment - Lancaster

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $6.3K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$523

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

4.2%

Rate difference

Cedar Falls, 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

Lancaster, OH

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Ohio State Tax

Effective: 3.0%

$4.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 27.6%

$41.4K

Take-Home Pay

$9,047/month

$108.6K

Additional Tax Information

Cedar Falls, IA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.4%

Property Tax:1.5%

Lancaster, OH Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.2%

Property Tax:1.6%

💡 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

Cedar Falls

Lancaster

45 Good

Air Quality

53 Moderate

67.5%

Good Air Days

41.3%

92 Moderate

Climate Risk

98 High

🌡☀🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.1°F

25 days

Heat Days >95°F

18 days

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.1°F

25 days

Heat Days >95°F

18 days

Before moving from Cedar Falls, IA to Lancaster, OH

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Lancaster, OH for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Cedar Falls, IA. 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 Cedar Falls to Lancaster moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Lancaster, OH by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Cedar Falls, IA vs Lancaster, OH

How do the cost estimates for Cedar Falls, IA and Lancaster, OH compare?

Lancaster, OH has a modeled overall cost index 3.5% lower than Cedar Falls, IA. 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 Cedar Falls, IA, the model estimates $147,723 in Lancaster, OH. 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 Cedar Falls, IA and Lancaster, OH?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,210/month in Cedar Falls, IA and $1,170/month in Lancaster, OH. 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 Iowa and Ohio on TaxTakeHome.com

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