Moving from Washington to Des Moines
It's a wash — the same money left over either way
$0 a year for the same registered nurse, the same household size, and the same number of bedrooms.
Washington leftover
$2,883
a month after tax and rent
Des Moines leftover
$2,883
same as origin
33 went the other way. The whole move →
| Per month | Washington | Des Moines | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $9,667 | $7,484 | −$2,183 |
| Income and payroll tax | $2,752 | $1,758 | −$994 |
| Take-home pay | $6,914 | $5,726 | −$1,189 |
| Rent | $1,929 | $1,005 | −$924 |
| Getting around | $463 | $533 | +$70 |
| Groceries | $452 | $360 | −$92 |
| Healthcare | $508 | $405 | −$103 |
| Utilities | $283 | $225 | −$58 |
| Everything else | $395 | $315 | −$80 |
| Left over | $2,883 | $2,883 | $0 |
To break even in Des Moines, you'd need to earn
$90,000
Household gross, versus $116,000 today. That's the salary that leaves you exactly as much at the end of the month as Washington does now.
The tax difference alone
+$4,161
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 28.5% in Washington, 23.5% in Des Moines.
More about Des Moines
Washington, DC in full
Recession-resistant government and consulting pay, humid summers, real transit.
Des Moines, IA in full
Insurance-sector wages against the lowest housing costs on this list.
The reverse move
Same two cities, but starting from Des Moines on Des Moines wages.
Des Moines → Washington →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Des Moines than Washington?
A one-bedroom is about $1,929 in Washington versus $1,005 in Des Moines. On a one-adult, one-bedroom household, leftover is about the same in both cities. Change the job or household on the comparison to see your number.
Does Des Moines have state income tax?
Des Moines is in Iowa, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Washington to Des Moines?
Take-home pay is recalculated under Iowa tax, rent is priced at the same bedroom count, and leftover is the gap. The from-to page also lists IRS households that already made the move, when that data exists.
Rent is Zillow's asking rent for each metro; taxes and living costs are modelled. An estimate, not a quote or tax advice. How this is calculated.