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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $75K salary, 2 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 2 cities in Iowa using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Des Moines…
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Des Moines | $1,141 | 18% | 67 | Details |
| 2 | Cedar Rapids | $1,158 | 19% | 68 | Details |
#1 Ranked: Des Moines — cost index 67, rent $1,141/mo, income $63,966
2 of 2 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K
2 of 2 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $75K salary, 2 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 2 cities in Iowa using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Des Moines comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis.
The numbers are clear. The implications are even clearer: 2 of 2 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $75K salary, 2 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. That's the sort of advantage that turns renters into homeowners.
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.
On a $75K salary, the key number is $1,875/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Des Moines ($1,141/mo, 18%), Cedar Rapids ($1,158/mo, 19%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $53,435 to $53,435/year across these top picks.
The other side of the coin: Across Iowa, the average cost of living index is 68 — 43 points below the national median. Known for Midwest stability with bargain-level costs, the state offers 2 tracked cities with median rents averaging $1,150/month. That's $745 less than the national average of $1,895. When healthcare costs are this low, the savings ripple across every other category.
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. You get the picture. 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.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Des Moines | 5.7% | 6.94% | 1.43% | $53,435 |
2Cedar Rapids | 5.7% | 6.94% | 1.43% | $53,435 |
210,381 residents · Iowa
Des Moines earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. And broadly, that tracks. 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.
135,958 residents · Iowa
A closer look at Cedar Rapids: the cost index of 68 breaks down to a Housing index of 68 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 94 (weakest). Median rent is $1,158/month — 39% below the national median — while household income sits at $67,859, meaning locals spend about 20% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
We model what a $75K salary looks like after taxes in each city: federal income tax (marginal brackets), FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. Then we compare take-home against local rent and costs to determine where the salary stretches furthest. 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.
Yes. On a $75K salary in Des Moines, rent would consume about 18% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. You're well within that guideline.
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.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 5.7% state income tax, estimated take-home on $75K in Des Moines is approximately $53,435/year ($4,453/month). After median rent of $1,141/month, you'd have roughly $39,743/year for all other expenses.
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.