West Des Moines, IA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In West Des Moines, IA Summary
Cost of living in West 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 West 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 West Des Moines is 102, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in West Des Moines is 1.0x higher than the national average.
West Des Moines ranks as the #72 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.
West Des Moines ranks as the #2,846 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in West Des Moines is $322,301.
The median income in West Des Moines is $84,925.
Table Of Contents
West Des Moines's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in West Des Moines, IA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, West Des Moines has an overall cost of living index of 102, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Iowa, West Des Moines has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Iowa's index of 90.
The standard of living in West Des Moines ranks as #72 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies West Des Moines ranks as the #13 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.
For more reading on life in West Des Moines, check out:
In Iowa
In America
West Des Moines Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in West Des Moines. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in West Des Moines is 94.
The Groceries index in West Des Moines is 99.
The Health index in West Des Moines is 96.
The Housing index in West Des Moines is 121.
The Transportation index in West Des Moines is 92.
The Utilities index in West Des Moines is 85.
| Living Expense | West Des Moines | Iowa | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 102 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 94 | 96 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 99 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 96 | 99 | 100 | |
| Housing | 121 | 75 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 92 | 99 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 85 | 94 | 100 | |
West 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 West Des Moines is $322,301.
The Median Rent in West Des Moines is $1,194.
The Median Income in West Des Moines is $84,925.
The Home Value To Income in West Des Moines is 3.8x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in West Des Moines is 0.17x.
| Statistic | West Des Moines | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $322,301 | $230,258 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,194 | $949 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $84,925 | $73,147 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.8x | 3.1x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.17x | 0.16x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
West Des Moines, IA Costs By Category
Detailed West Des Moines Services Costs Vs. Iowa
| Item | West 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 West Des Moines Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa
| Item | West 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 West Des Moines Health Costs Vs. Iowa
| Item | West Des Moines | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $125.17 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $129.05 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $96.6 | $113.29 |
Detailed West Des Moines Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa
| Item | West Des Moines | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.19 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $52.49 | $59.92 |
Detailed West Des Moines Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa
| Item | West Des Moines | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $154.71 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.87 | $192.25 |
West Des Moines SnackAbility
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Cost Of Living In Cities Around West Des Moines
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around West Des Moines. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Des Moines, IA has a cost of living index of 89, 0.9x West Des Moines.
Ankeny, IA has a cost of living index of 101, 1.0x West Des Moines.
Urbandale, IA has a cost of living index of 103, 1.0x West Des Moines.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. West Des Moines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IA | 212,464 | 89 | 0.9x |
| Ankeny, IA | 70,542 | 101 | 1.0x |
| Urbandale, IA | 46,026 | 103 | 1.0x |
| Waukee, IA | 26,974 | 106 | 1.0x |
| Johnston, IA | 24,196 | 109 | 1.1x |
| Altoona, IA | 20,592 | 97 | 1.0x |
| Clive, IA | 18,776 | 109 | 1.1x |
| Indianola, IA | 15,918 | 90 | 0.9x |
| Grimes, IA | 15,810 | 99 | 1.0x |
| Norwalk, IA | 13,610 | 99 | 1.0x |
