Moving from Des Moines to Indianapolis
Moving from Des Moines to Indianapolis
Indianapolis costs you $427 a month versus Des Moines. −$5,124 a year.
Who already made this move
In 2022-2023, 25 households moved Des Moines → Indianapolis (about 31 people, average AGI $39,320). The reverse flow is too small for the IRS to publish.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
| Per month | Des Moines | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Take-home | $5,736 | $5,550 |
| Rent | $1,005 | $1,205 |
| All other costs | $1,838 | $1,879 |
| Left over | $2,893 | $2,466 |
Full line-by-line comparison →
What the move itself costs
About 502 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $2,100–$3,900
- Container or pod
- $1,450–$2,700
- Rent a truck
- $650–$1,250
Dig into Indianapolis
Paycheck
Take-home pay after tax and rent, and what's left at the end of the month.
Who moved
Which metros people actually left and arrived from, according to IRS tax returns.
Rent vs buy
Asking rent, the median home, property tax, and months to a down payment.
Monthly costs
Groceries, getting around, utilities, healthcare and childcare at your household size.
Daily life
Homicide and firearm death rates, heat, cars and commute.
Kids
Public-school enrollment, pupil–teacher ratio, bedrooms and childcare.
Getting there
What the move itself costs from where you live now, and how to find a mover you can trust.
Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Indianapolis than Des Moines?
A one-bedroom is about $1,005 in Des Moines versus $1,205 in Indianapolis. On a one-adult, one-bedroom household, leftover is about $427 a month lower in Indianapolis. Change the job or household on the comparison to see your number.
Does Indianapolis have state income tax?
Indianapolis is in Indiana, which taxes wage income, plus a local wage tax of 2.02%.
Did people actually move from Des Moines to Indianapolis?
When IRS county-to-county data covers this pair, the page lists how many households made the Des Moines → Indianapolis move and their average AGI. Leftover after tax and rent is shown for the same household on both sides.