Des Moines, IA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Des Moines, IA Summary
Cost of living in Des Moines research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Des Moines is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Iowa, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Des Moines is 89, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Des Moines is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Des Moines ranks as the #36 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.
Des Moines ranks as the #1,060 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Des Moines is $208,186.
The median income in Des Moines is $63,966.
Table Of Contents
Des Moines's Overall Cost Of Living
Lower Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Des Moines, IA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Des Moines has an overall cost of living index of 89, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Iowa, Des Moines has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Iowa's index of 90.
The standard of living in Des Moines ranks as #36 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Des Moines ranks as the #49 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.
For more reading on life in Des Moines, check out:
In Iowa
In America
Des Moines Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Des Moines. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Des Moines is 93.
The Groceries index in Des Moines is 97.
The Health index in Des Moines is 96.
The Housing index in Des Moines is 79.
The Transportation index in Des Moines is 91.
The Utilities index in Des Moines is 85.
| Living Expense | Des Moines | Iowa | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 89 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 93 | 96 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 97 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 96 | 99 | 100 | |
| Housing | 79 | 75 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 91 | 99 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 85 | 94 | 100 | |
Des Moines, IA Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Iowa, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Des Moines is $208,186.
The Median Rent in Des Moines is $1,054.
The Median Income in Des Moines is $63,966.
The Home Value To Income in Des Moines is 3.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Des Moines is 0.2x.
| Statistic | Des Moines | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $208,186 | $230,258 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,054 | $949 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $63,966 | $73,147 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.3x | 3.1x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.2x | 0.16x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Des Moines, IA Costs By Category
Detailed Des Moines Services Costs Vs. Iowa
| Item | Des Moines | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.35 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $11.17 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $20.87 | $18 |
| Haircut | $20.63 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $41.0 | $45.56 |
Detailed Des Moines Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa
| Item | Des Moines | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.36 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.38 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.82 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.81 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.84 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $9.82 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.69 | $3.7 |
Detailed Des Moines Health Costs Vs. Iowa
| Item | Des Moines | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $125.17 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $129.05 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $96.6 | $113.29 |
Detailed Des Moines Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa
| Item | Des Moines | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.19 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $52.49 | $59.92 |
Detailed Des Moines Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa
| Item | Des Moines | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $154.71 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.87 | $192.25 |
Des Moines SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Des Moines
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Des Moines. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Ankeny, IA has a cost of living index of 101, 1.1x Des Moines.
West Des Moines, IA has a cost of living index of 102, 1.1x Des Moines.
Urbandale, IA has a cost of living index of 103, 1.2x Des Moines.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Des Moines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ankeny, IA | 70,542 | 101 | 1.1x |
| West Des Moines, IA | 69,893 | 102 | 1.1x |
| Urbandale, IA | 46,026 | 103 | 1.2x |
| Waukee, IA | 26,974 | 106 | 1.2x |
| Johnston, IA | 24,196 | 109 | 1.2x |
| Altoona, IA | 20,592 | 97 | 1.1x |
| Clive, IA | 18,776 | 109 | 1.2x |
| Grimes, IA | 15,810 | 99 | 1.1x |
| Norwalk, IA | 13,610 | 99 | 1.1x |
| Pleasant Hill, IA | 10,796 | 102 | 1.1x |
