Polk County · Iowa
Des Moines cost of living (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
Des Moines costs 8.3% below the national average — all-items price level 91.7, rank 81 of 94 covered metros. A $100,000 national-average salary needs to be $91,701 here. Utilities is the reason, at 84.6.
- 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.
$62,191 median household income in Des Moines is worth $67,819 in national-average dollars. BEA calls that real income: income × 100 ÷ 91.7.
More Des Moines data
Other Des Moines datasets on this site.
- Des Moines population and income
- Des Moines sales tax rate
- Des Moines property tax
- Des Moines home values and rent
- Des Moines crime rates
- Des Moines public schools
- Des Moines weather normals
- Des Moines commute times
- Des Moines jobs and wages
Statewide: Iowa cities · Iowa ZIP codes · Iowa sales tax · Iowa counties
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.