

Moving from Ames to Dover
Moving from Ames to Dover: −$437/mo after tax & rent
AmesDoverAbout 974 miles apart, a flight.
- Dover costs you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
$1,964/mo in Dover. $2,401/mo in Ames. −$5,244 a year.
Ames
$2,401
left each month
Dover
$1,964
−$437 vs Ames
Next
Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough Ames → Dover pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
See full breakdown
| Per month | Ames | Dover |
|---|---|---|
| Take-home | $4,877 | $5,282 |
| Rent | $760 | $1,336 |
| All other costs | $1,716 | $1,982 |
| Left over | $2,401 | $1,964 |
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Ames and Dover changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
What the move itself costs
About 1,169 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $2,850–$5,350
- Container or pod
- $2,000–$3,800
- Rent a truck
- $1,100–$2,100
Explore more
Other moves from Ames
Dig into Dover
Questions
Is Dover cheaper than Ames after tax and rent?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Dover leaves about $437 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $760 in Ames and $1,336 in Dover.
Does Dover have state income tax?
Dover is in Delaware, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Ames to Dover?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.