Polk County · Iowa
Cost of living in Des Moines, IA
Price levels published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis for Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, with the national average set to 100 — so 108 means things cost 8% more here than the US average.
Quick answer
Living in Des Moines, IA costs 8.3% below the national average — an all-items price level of 91.7. To match the buying power of a $100,000 national-average salary you would need about $91,701 here.
- All items
- 91.7US average = 100
- Housing
- 84.715.3% below the national average
- Goods
- 93.76.3% below the national average
- Other services
- 92.97.1% below the national average
Price level by component
Where the difference actually comes from.
| Component | Index | vs US | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goods | 93.7 | -6.3% | Groceries, fuel, clothing, durable purchases. |
| Housing | 84.7 | -15.3% | Rents and imputed rents — the biggest single swing factor. |
| Utilities | 84.6 | -15.4% | Electricity, gas, water and other household energy. |
| Other services | 92.9 | -7.1% | Healthcare, dining, repairs, personal services. |
What your salary is worth in Des Moines, IA
Enter a salary. We deflate it by the local price level (91.7 where 100 is the US average) and show what you would need to earn here to match the same pay somewhere average.
- Real value here
- $67,819
- Needed to match US average
- $57,030
- Monthly difference
- $-430
What a local paycheck is really worth
Nominal pay is only half the story.
The median household in Des Moines earns $62,191. Deflated by the local price level, that is $67,819 in national-average dollars — the BEA calls this real income, and it is simply income × 100 ÷ 91.7.
More on Des Moines
Same city, other datasets.
2024 BEA Regional Price Parities, published for Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA. Parities are metro-wide, so a single neighbourhood can sit well above or below these figures.