

Moving from Trenton to Ames
Moving from Trenton to Ames: +$257/mo after tax & rent
TrentonAmesAbout 993 miles apart, a flight.
- Ames leaves you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
- Real winters
$2,414/mo in Ames. $2,157/mo in Trenton. +$3,084 a year.
Trenton
$2,157
left each month
Ames
$2,414
+$257 vs Trenton
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Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough Trenton → Ames 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 | Trenton | Ames |
|---|---|---|
| Take-home | $6,026 | $4,890 |
| Rent | $1,986 | $760 |
| All other costs | $1,883 | $1,716 |
| Left over | $2,157 | $2,414 |
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Trenton and Ames 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 1,192 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $2,900–$5,400
- Container or pod
- $2,050–$3,800
- Rent a truck
- $1,150–$2,150
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Dig into Ames
Questions
Is Ames cheaper than Trenton after tax and rent?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Ames leaves about $257 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,986 in Trenton and $760 in Ames.
Does Ames have state income tax?
Ames is in Iowa, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Trenton to Ames?
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.