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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities in Iowa beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. Des Moines stands out at 88 on the index, with rent of $1,141/month and household income of $63,966. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
#1 Ranked: Des Moines — cost index 88, rent $1,141/mo, income $63,966
2 of 2 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities in Iowa beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. Des Moines stands out at 88 on the index, with rent of $1,141/month and household income of $63,966. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
The #1 spot goes to Des Moines, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,141/month — saving renters $9,048 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 69, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 90. At a 21% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
In plain English: the healthcare sub-index is derived from overall cost of living with regional BLS price adjustments. A score of 90 (the top-10 average here) means healthcare costs are about 10% below the national median. Des Moines leads at 90, followed by Cedar Rapids (90) and Cedar Rapids (90). Note: a low healthcare index doesn't guarantee a low overall cost — check the full cost breakdown table below.
In plain English: Factor in the cost side, though, and the picture shifts. The 2 cities we track in Iowa paint a clearly affordable picture. Average cost index: 88. Median rent: $1,150/month. Household income: $65,913. Iowa is known for Midwest stability with bargain-level costs — and the data backs that reputation convincingly.
Bottom line: Des Moines leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
| Rank | City | Healthcare Index | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Des Moines | 90 | 88 | $1,141 | Details |
| 2 | Cedar Rapids | 90 | 88 | $1,158 | Details |
210,381 residents · Iowa
The numbers for Des Moines are straightforward: 88 on the cost index, $1,141/month rent, $63,966 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. That alone makes it worth considering.
135,958 residents · Iowa
The #2 spot goes to Cedar Rapids, and the breakdown explains why. And from what we can tell, renters here pay $1,158/month — though some people might weigh that differently — — saving renters $8,844 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 70, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 90. At a 20% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget. Not flashy. Just effective.
Cities are ranked by their healthcare cost sub-index within Iowa. Each sub-index is derived from the overall cost of living with regional adjustment factors. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Des Moines ranks #1 in Iowa for this analysis with a cost index of 88 and median income of $63,966.
Des Moines, IA has the lowest healthcare index at 90, compared to the national average of 100.
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 88 and rent of $1,141/mo, while Cedar Rapids (ranked #2) has a cost index of 88 and rent of $1,158/mo — a 0-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.