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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Iowa is a genuine bargain: 2 of the 2 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Des Moines leads at an index of 67 with rent at just $1,141/month — 40% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
210,381 residents · Iowa
What does daily life actually cost in Des Moines? Start with the 21% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Housing (index 67) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 93) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $63,966 and homes at $204,843 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
135,958 residents · Iowa
Dive into Cedar Rapids's numbers: cost index 68 (43 points below national average), rent $1,158/month, income $67,859, and a home price of $204,214. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 68, while Healthcare runs 94. With 135,958 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
#1 Ranked: Des Moines — cost index 67, rent $1,141/mo, income $63,966
2 of 2 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Des Moines | 67 | $1,141 | Details |
| 2 | Cedar Rapids | 68 | $1,158 | Details |
Iowa is a genuine bargain: 2 of the 2 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Des Moines leads at an index of 67 with rent at just $1,141/month — 40% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
Why Des Moines ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 67 on the cost index, residents save roughly 44% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,141/month while the median household pulls in $63,966/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 67, though Healthcare (93) lags behind. Home prices average $204,843 — $262,527 below the national median.
There's more to the story, though. Iowa — Midwest stability with bargain-level costs. The 2 cities we track here average a cost index of 68 and median income of $65,913. It's a clear buyer's market compared to national norms. The typical rent runs $1,150/month, which is $745 less than the national median.
If you're ready to act on this, three things to do next: 1) Click into the city pages for the top 3 and check rent trends — direction matters more than the snapshot. 2) Run your income through the salary calculator for a personalized cost comparison. 3) Compare your top two picks head-to-head on our comparison page. The data is here; the decision is yours.
Des Moines ranks #1 in Iowa for this analysis with a cost index of 67 and median income of $63,966.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Des Moines (ranked #1) has a cost index of 67 and rent of $1,141/mo, while Cedar Rapids (ranked #2) has a cost index of 68 and rent of $1,158/mo — a 1-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Des Moines is $1,141/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $754 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Des Moines is $204,843, which is 3.2× the local median income. That's within the standard 3.5× affordability rule for most local earners. The national median home price is $467,370.
Iowa has a 5.7% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 6.94%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.43%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.