Rent Affordability for A Welder in Iowa

A typical welder in Iowa earns about $47,297 a year, which supports approximately $1,182 a month in rent under the 30% rule. Below, every tracked Iowa city is ranked by how local rent compares against that affordability ceiling.

As of May 2026. 14 of 35 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 21 are rent-burdened on this salary.

CityMedian rent% of incomeAffordability
Clinton, IA$792/mo20.1%affordable
Fort Dodge, IA$843/mo21.4%affordable
Waterloo, IA$898/mo22.8%affordable
Marshalltown, IA$930/mo23.6%affordable
Knoxville, IA$941/mo23.9%affordable
Boone, IA$947/mo24%affordable
Davenport, IA$949/mo24.1%affordable
Newton, IA$962/mo24.4%affordable
Burlington, IA$983/mo24.9%affordable
Adel, IA$1,031/mo26.2%affordable
Pella, IA$1,085/mo27.5%affordable
Dubuque, IA$1,110/mo28.2%affordable
Des Moines, IA$1,121/mo28.4%affordable
Ames, IA$1,125/mo28.5%affordable
Norwalk, IA$1,189/mo30.2%stretched
Urbandale, IA$1,197/mo30.4%stretched
Sioux City, IA$1,216/mo30.9%stretched
Coralville, IA$1,263/mo32%stretched
Cedar Falls, IA$1,264/mo32.1%stretched
Marion, IA$1,278/mo32.4%stretched
Cedar Rapids, IA$1,288/mo32.7%stretched
Iowa City, IA$1,308/mo33.2%stretched
Bettendorf, IA$1,327/mo33.7%stretched
Council Bluffs, IA$1,348/mo34.2%stretched
Pleasant Hill, IA$1,346/mo34.2%stretched
West Des Moines, IA$1,369/mo34.7%stretched
Johnston, IA$1,382/mo35.1%stretched
Indianola, IA$1,382/mo35.1%stretched
Altoona, IA$1,436/mo36.4%stretched
Grimes, IA$1,435/mo36.4%stretched
Ankeny, IA$1,520/mo38.6%stretched
North Liberty, IA$1,655/mo42%rent-burdened
Waukee, IA$1,665/mo42.2%rent-burdened
Tiffin, IA$1,864/mo47.3%rent-burdened
Le Claire, IA$2,900/mo73.6%severely rent-burdened
Methodology: Salary is the BLS-derived state estimate for Iowa. Rent is the latest ZORI monthly value for each city. Affordability uses the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income).