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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Dollar for dollar, few states match Iowa's value. 2 out of 2 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. Leading the pack: Des Moines at index 67, where median rent of $1,141/month saves renters $9,048/year versus the national median.
#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
Dollar for dollar, few states match Iowa's value. 2 out of 2 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. Leading the pack: Des Moines at index 67, where median rent of $1,141/month saves renters $9,048/year versus the national median.
The transportation sub-index is derived from overall cost of living with regional BLS price adjustments. A score of 92 (the top-10 average here) means transportation costs are about 8% below the national median. Des Moines leads at 92, followed by Cedar Rapids (92) and Cedar Rapids (92). Note: a low transportation index doesn't guarantee a low overall cost — check the full cost breakdown table below.
Des Moines earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 67 cost index sits 44 points below the national baseline, and the $63,966 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $204,843 — $262,527 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 67, while Healthcare trails at 93.
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.
| Rank | City | Transportation Index | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Des Moines | 92 | 67 | $1,141 | Details |
| 2 | Cedar Rapids | 92 | 68 | $1,158 | Details |
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
Why Cedar Rapids ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. At 68 on the cost index, residents save roughly 43% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,158/month while the median household pulls in $67,859/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 68, though Healthcare (94) lags behind. Home prices average $204,214 — $263,156 below the national median (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
Cities are ranked by their transportation 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 67 and median income of $63,966.
Des Moines, IA has the lowest transportation index at 92, 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 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.