Darlington, WI vs Missouri Valley, IA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Missouri Valley, IA has a modeled overall cost index 12.6% lower than Darlington, WI.

Darlington, WI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,050 / month
Missouri Valley, IA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,040 / 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 Darlington, WI and Missouri Valley, 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 Darlington, WI

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $895/month in Missouri Valley, IA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $139,257 in Missouri Valley, IA

Regional cost estimates: Darlington, WI uses Madison, WI. Missouri Valley, IA uses Omaha, NE. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 12.6%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$895

Savings

Annual Impact

$10.7K

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.

Darlington, WI

Population:3K

Cost Index:

92.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$217K

Missouri Valley, IA

Population:3K

Cost Index:

80.7

100 = national average

Typical Home:$218K

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Darlington, WI

The Badger State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Wisconsin, this city has a population of 3K residents.

Missouri Valley, IA

The Hawkeye State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Iowa, this city has a population of 3K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Darlington, WI vs Missouri Valley, 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	Darlington, WI	Missouri Valley, IA	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,322/mo	$1,790/mo	↓ $532less	22.9%
Other	$1,677/mo	$1,534/mo	↓ $144less	8.6%
Transportation	$1,318/mo	$1,174/mo	↓ $143less	10.9%
All Utilities	$508/mo	$471/mo	↓ $36.16less	7.1%
Healthcare	$718/mo	$684/mo	↓ $34.17less	4.8%
Groceries	$958/mo	$952/mo	↓ $5.87less	0.6%

Housing

↓ 22.9%

Darlington, WI

$2,322

Missouri Valley, IA

$1,790

Difference

$532

less

Other

↓ 8.6%

Darlington, WI

$1,677

Missouri Valley, IA

$1,534

Difference

$144

less

Transportation

↓ 10.9%

Darlington, WI

$1,318

Missouri Valley, IA

$1,174

Difference

$143

less

All Utilities

↓ 7.1%

Darlington, WI

$508

Missouri Valley, IA

$471

Difference

$36.16

less

Healthcare

↓ 4.8%

Darlington, WI

$718

Missouri Valley, IA

$684

Difference

$34.17

less

Groceries

↓ 0.6%

Darlington, WI

$958

Missouri Valley, IA

$952

Difference

$5.87

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$750

To$830

↑ $80.00

1 Bed

From$880

To$870

↓ $10.00

2 Bed

From$1,050

To$1,040

↓ $10.00

3 Bed

From$1,460

To$1,380

↓ $80.00

Darlington, WIZIP-level data

1BR range: $880–$880/mo

Missouri Valley, IAZIP-level data

1BR range: $870–$870/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 Darlington, WI

$6,605

Monthly in Missouri Valley, IA

$895

Difference

Home Values

Darlington

Missouri Valley

$217K

Median Value

$218K

↑ +14.8%

YoY Change

↑ +5.7%

↑ +45.9%

5-Year Change

↑ +20%

Homes in Missouri Valley are 1% more expensive than Darlington

Calculate payment - Darlington Calculate payment - Missouri Valley

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $1.9K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$154

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.2%

Rate difference

Darlington, WI

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Wisconsin State Tax

Effective: 5.9%

$8.8K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.6%

$45.9K

Take-Home Pay

$8,678/month

$104.1K

Missouri Valley, 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

Darlington, WI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.6%

Property Tax:1.8%

Missouri Valley, 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

Darlington

Missouri Valley

42 Good

Air Quality

45 Good

72.1%

Good Air Days

63.7%

94 Moderate

Climate Risk

96 High

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

35 days

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

35 days

Before moving from Darlington, WI to Missouri Valley, IA

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Missouri Valley, IA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Darlington, WI. 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 Darlington to Missouri Valley moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Darlington, WI vs Missouri Valley, IA

How do the cost estimates for Darlington, WI and Missouri Valley, IA compare?

Missouri Valley, IA has a modeled overall cost index 12.6% lower than Darlington, WI. 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 Darlington, WI, the model estimates $139,257 in Missouri Valley, 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 Darlington, WI and Missouri Valley, IA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,050/month in Darlington, WI and $1,040/month in Missouri Valley, 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 Wisconsin and Iowa on TaxTakeHome.com