Retirement Lists

Cost of Living in Dubuque, Iowa

Dubuque, Iowa, USA.
Photo by Dirk via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Dubuque costs

A river and bluff budget needs housing, winter, maintenance, and care costs

Census QuickFacts reports a $204,800 median owner-occupied value, $948 median gross rent, $1,388 median monthly owner cost with a mortgage, $638 without a mortgage, and $65,845 median household income. These are citywide benchmarks rather than a complete retirement budget.

Add taxes, insurance, utilities, heating, cooling, roof, gutters, snow, slope, stairs, drainage, repairs, transport, prescriptions, care, and the cost of a home near the hospitals, library, groceries, trails, and bus route.

Planning a monthly budget

A local monthly estimate of $2,798 gives you the starting point, with transportation taking the largest share.

Housing
$754
Utilities (in rent)
$221
Food
$472/mo
Transportation
$1,077/mo
Healthcare
$495

Utilities are included in housing so they are not added twice. The separate Utilities row is a reference estimate.

How the total can change

A traveler style stay, a couple household, and long term rent answer different planning questions.

Comfortable Living
$3,885

Very Good

Cost of Living for Couple
$4,323

Very Good

Typical 1BR Rent
$754

Excellent

Everyday expenses

Dining, transportation, taxes, and car needs can change how the monthly budget feels.

Dining Out
$237/mo

Excellent

Need for a Car
Required
Property Taxes
High
Overall Feel
Good
Residents 65+ Below Poverty Level
11.3%
65+ Householder — Renter Occupied
27.1%
65+ Households With High Housing Costs
31.9%
Median Household Income, Householder 65+
$52,932

Could Dubuque fit your monthly retirement budget?

Compare your monthly budget with a city estimate. Add your expected housing amount when you have a more useful number.

Housing

Enter your expected rent and required housing charges, or leave this blank to use the current renter amount.

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Starting renter estimates

Use these broad monthly estimates as a starting point, then replace them with costs you know.

One person
$2,798 per month
Two people
$4,323 per month

One-person estimate breakdown

Housing
$754
Food
$472
Transportation
$1,077
Healthcare
$495

Taxes, debt, insurance, out-of-pocket care, travel, and one-time moving costs may not be included.

Dubuque in everyday life

Could Dubuque work for you?

What may work well

  • Census provides city-level housing, income, poverty, and broadband benchmarks.
  • Two hospitals, parks, trails, library services, riverfront destinations, and transit provide identifiable resources.

What to think about

  • Heating, snow, insurance, slope, stairs, drainage, transportation, and regional care are outside a simple median.
  • Riverfront and bluff addresses can have very different maintenance, flood, and access costs.

Price a Dubuque household

  1. Compare several addresses

    Keep housing, taxes, insurance, utilities, heating, cooling, snow, slope, drainage, repairs, and service distance visible.

  2. Map recurring care

    Price Finley, MercyOne, primary care, pharmacy, groceries, transit, and regional specialists.

  3. Reserve for winter

    Keep room for heating, roof work, snow, ice, stairs, slope, trees, power, drainage, and a ride after severe weather.

Questions retirees ask

Is $204,800 the full cost of owning in Dubuque?

No. It is the Census median owner-occupied value. Add taxes, insurance, utilities, heating, cooling, repairs, snow, flood, care, and transportation.

Why do Dubuque homes have different budgets?

Housing age, slope, stairs, flood exposure, snow, utilities, taxes, insurance, service distance, transit, and care vary by address.

Dubuque affordability depends on the actual home, bluff or river exposure, winter carrying costs, the care route, transport, and the services you use each week.

Sources

The budget value gives a starting point for everyday spending. Housing, healthcare, safety, and climate can change what feels comfortable for a household.

Housing mix, exchange rates, healthcare needs, car ownership, and travel style can move a real monthly budget materially.

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How this city research is made

Retirement Lists uses documented public sources and methods to research, review, and correct city information. Read our Editorial Policy.