Janesville, WI vs Council Bluffs, IA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Council Bluffs, IA has a modeled overall cost index 14.2% lower than Janesville, WI.

Janesville, WI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,265 / month
Council Bluffs, IA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,160 / 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 Janesville, WI and Council Bluffs, 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 Janesville, WI

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,005/month in Council Bluffs, IA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $137,942 in Council Bluffs, IA

Regional cost estimates: Janesville, WI uses Madison, WI. Council Bluffs, IA uses Omaha, NE. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 14.2%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,005

Savings

Annual Impact

$12.1K

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.

Janesville, WI

Population:66K

Cost Index:

101.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$286K

Council Bluffs, IA

Population:62K

Cost Index:

86.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$292K

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Janesville, WI

The Badger State

66K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Wisconsin, this city has a population of 66K residents.

Council Bluffs, IA

The Hawkeye State

62K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Iowa, this city has a population of 62K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Janesville, WI vs Council Bluffs, 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	Janesville, WI	Council Bluffs, IA	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,353/mo	$1,781/mo	↓ $572less	24.3%
Other	$1,700/mo	$1,526/mo	↓ $174less	10.2%
Transportation	$1,335/mo	$1,168/mo	↓ $167less	12.5%
All Utilities	$491/mo	$452/mo	↓ $39.13less	8.0%
Healthcare	$694/mo	$655/mo	↓ $39.08less	5.6%
Groceries	$927/mo	$913/mo	↓ $14.05less	1.5%

Housing

↓ 24.3%

Janesville, WI

$2,353

Council Bluffs, IA

$1,781

Difference

$572

less

Other

↓ 10.2%

Janesville, WI

$1,700

Council Bluffs, IA

$1,526

Difference

$174

less

Transportation

↓ 12.5%

Janesville, WI

$1,335

Council Bluffs, IA

$1,168

Difference

$167

less

All Utilities

↓ 8.0%

Janesville, WI

$491

Council Bluffs, IA

$452

Difference

$39.13

less

Healthcare

↓ 5.6%

Janesville, WI

$694

Council Bluffs, IA

$655

Difference

$39.08

less

Groceries

↓ 1.5%

Janesville, WI

$927

Council Bluffs, IA

$913

Difference

$14.05

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$915

To$920

↑ $5.00

1 Bed

From$970

To$970

→ $0

2 Bed

From$1,265

To$1,160

↓ $105

3 Bed

From$1,620

To$1,540

↓ $80.00

Janesville, WIZIP-level data

1BR range: $970–$970/mo

Council Bluffs, IAZIP-level data

1BR range: $970–$970/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 Janesville, WI

$6,495

Monthly in Council Bluffs, IA

$1,005

Difference

Home Values

Janesville

Council Bluffs

$286K

Median Value

$292K

↑ +5.9%

YoY Change

↑ +2.8%

↑ +46.8%

5-Year Change

↑ +36.7%

$267K - $306K

Price Range

$292K

Homes in Council Bluffs are 2% more expensive than Janesville

Calculate payment - Janesville Calculate payment - Council Bluffs

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

Janesville, 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

Council Bluffs, 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

Janesville, WI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.6%

Property Tax:1.8%

Council Bluffs, 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

Janesville

Council Bluffs

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 Janesville, WI to Council Bluffs, IA

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Council Bluffs, IA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Janesville, 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 Janesville to Council Bluffs moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Janesville, WI vs Council Bluffs, IA

How do the cost estimates for Janesville, WI and Council Bluffs, IA compare?

Council Bluffs, IA has a modeled overall cost index 14.2% lower than Janesville, 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 Janesville, WI, the model estimates $137,942 in Council Bluffs, 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 Janesville, WI and Council Bluffs, IA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,265/month in Janesville, WI and $1,160/month in Council Bluffs, 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