Mount Vernon, IA vs Baldwin City, KS: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Baldwin City, KS has a modeled overall cost index 2.7% higher than Mount Vernon, IA.

Mount Vernon, IA · modeled 2BR rent
$1,000 / month
Baldwin City, KS · modeled 2BR rent
$1,030 / 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

Adjust your income and compare the budget ↓
Tap to swap

Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Mount Vernon, IA and Baldwin City, KS 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

$
Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $200/month in Baldwin City, KS

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $152,403 in Baldwin City, KS

Regional cost estimates: Mount Vernon, IA uses Des Moines, IA. Baldwin City, KS uses Kansas City, MO. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.
Overall Cost
↑ 2.7%
More expensive
Monthly Impact
$200
Extra cost
Annual Impact
$2.4K
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.

Mount Vernon, IA

Population:5K
Cost Index:
79.3
100 = national average
Typical Home:$334K

Baldwin City, KS

Population:5K
Cost Index:
81.5
100 = national average
Typical Home:$347K

Planning the move to Baldwin City?

Organize packing, address changes, and moving-day tasks with a free checklist. Your progress saves in this browser. No account needed.

Plan my move with the free checklist

Mount Vernon, IA

The Hawkeye State

5K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Iowa, this city has a population of 5K residents.

Baldwin City, KS

The Sunflower State

5K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Kansas, this city has a population of 5K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Mount Vernon, IA vs Baldwin City, KS

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.

All Utilities
↑ 15.5%
Mount Vernon, IA
$543
Baldwin City, KS
$627
Difference
$83.92
more
Housing
↑ 4.0%
Mount Vernon, IA
$2,029
Baldwin City, KS
$2,109
Difference
$80.16
more
Healthcare
↓ 9.7%
Mount Vernon, IA
$787
Baldwin City, KS
$711
Difference
$76.58
less
Groceries
↑ 5.8%
Mount Vernon, IA
$1,050
Baldwin City, KS
$1,111
Difference
$60.69
more
Other
↑ 2.7%
Mount Vernon, IA
$1,743
Baldwin City, KS
$1,789
Difference
$46.48
more
Transportation
↑ 0.4%
Mount Vernon, IA
$1,348
Baldwin City, KS
$1,354
Difference
$5.54
more

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio
From$740
To$770
↑ $30.00
1 Bed
From$830
To$860
↑ $30.00
2 Bed
From$1,000
To$1,030
↑ $30.00
3 Bed
From$1,400
To$1,440
↑ $40.00
Mount Vernon, IAZIP-level data

1BR range: $830–$830/mo

Baldwin City, KSZIP-level data

1BR range: $860–$860/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 Mount Vernon, IA
$7,700
Monthly in Baldwin City, KS
$200
Difference

Home Values

Mount Vernon
Baldwin City
$334K
Median Value
$347K
↑ +2.9%
YoY Change
↑ +1.3%
↑ +33.1%
5-Year Change
↑ +39.8%

Homes in Baldwin City are 4% more expensive than Mount Vernon

Calculate payment - Mount VernonCalculate payment - Baldwin City

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
↑ $2.3K
Per year
Monthly Difference
$190
More take-home
Effective Rate Diff
1.5%
Rate difference

Mount Vernon, 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

Baldwin 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

Additional Tax Information

Mount Vernon, IA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.4%
Property Tax:1.5%

Baldwin City, KS Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.7%
Property Tax:1.3%

💡 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

Mount Vernon
Baldwin City
45 Good
Air Quality
46 Good
67.5%
Good Air Days
59.3%
92 Moderate
Climate Risk
97 High
🌡☀🌪
Top Hazards
🌊🌡🌪
▲+3.4°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.3°F
25 days
Heat Days >95°F
44 days
▲+3.4°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.3°F
25 days
Heat Days >95°F
44 days

Before moving from Mount Vernon, IA to Baldwin City, KS

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

  1. Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Baldwin City, KS for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Mount Vernon, IA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Mount Vernon to Baldwin City moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Baldwin City, KS by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Mount Vernon, IA vs Baldwin City, KS

How do the cost estimates for Mount Vernon, IA and Baldwin City, KS compare?

Baldwin City, KS has a modeled overall cost index 2.7% higher than Mount Vernon, 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 Mount Vernon, IA, the model estimates $152,403 in Baldwin City, KS. 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 Mount Vernon, IA and Baldwin City, KS?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,000/month in Mount Vernon, IA and $1,030/month in Baldwin City, KS. 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 Kansas on TaxTakeHome.com

Similar cost to Baldwin City, KS

Other cities in a similar price range

San Antonio, TXIndianapolis, INColumbus, OH

Want to compare different cities?

New Comparison