2026
Moving from Iowa?
Where you keep the most after tax and rent. The comparison starts in Des Moines, IA, the largest metro in Iowa on this site. One adult, one bedroom, $80,000 held the same in every city. State income tax there is $2,485 a year, and $2,353 a month is left after tax and rent.
No state income tax
The strongest leftover metro in each state that does not tax wages. The tax change is versus Iowa on $80,000.
- Anchorage, AK
$1,705/mo left · state tax −$2,485/yr
- Sebring, FL
$2,422/mo left · state tax −$2,485/yr
- Carson City, NV
$2,130/mo left · state tax −$2,485/yr
- Manchester, NH
$1,539/mo left · state tax −$2,485/yr
- Sioux Falls, SD
$2,549/mo left · state tax −$2,485/yr
- Morristown, TN
$2,592/mo left · state tax −$2,485/yr
- Lubbock, TX
$2,695/mo left · state tax −$2,485/yr
- Spokane, WA
$2,287/mo left · state tax −$2,485/yr
- Cheyenne, WY
$2,358/mo left · state tax −$2,485/yr
Where people from Iowa moved
IRS migration, 2022-2023. Outflows from metros in Iowa to metros in other states, summed. The move link starts in the city that sent the most returns on that route.
| Destination | Returns | People | State tax change | Left over |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, ILfrom Davenport | 1,316 | 1,861 | +$1,338/yr | $1,417/mo |
| Minneapolis, MNfrom Des Moines | 737 | 1,021 | +$1,492/yr | $1,737/mo |
| Phoenix, AZfrom Des Moines | 646 | 956 | −$850/yr | $1,954/mo |
| Omaha, NEfrom Des Moines | 499 | 713 | +$796/yr | $2,147/mo |
| Sioux Falls, SDfrom Sioux City | 282 | 436 | −$2,485/yr | $2,549/mo |
| Madison, WIfrom Dubuque | 277 | 360 | +$657/yr | $1,882/mo |
| Dallas, TXfrom Des Moines | 251 | 438 | −$2,485/yr | $2,130/mo |
| Denver, COfrom Des Moines | 219 | 279 | +$393/yr | $1,587/mo |
| Kansas City, MOfrom Des Moines | 176 | 281 | +$348/yr | $2,020/mo |
| Seattle, WAfrom Des Moines | 121 | 149 | −$2,485/yr | $1,500/mo |
Where the paycheck goes furthest
Top 25 metros outside Iowa by monthly leftover on $80,000. Versus Des Moines.
| Rank | Metro | Left over | Vs Des Moines | State tax change | Paid to move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fargo, ND | $2,705/mo | +$352/mo | −$2,155/yr | — |
| 2 | Lubbock, TX | $2,695/mo | +$342/mo | −$2,485/yr | — |
| 3 | Wichita Falls, TX | $2,685/mo | +$332/mo | −$2,485/yr | — |
| 4 | McAllen, TX | $2,679/mo | +$326/mo | −$2,485/yr | — |
| 5 | Longview, TX | $2,672/mo | +$319/mo | −$2,485/yr | — |
| 6 | Amarillo, TX | $2,652/mo | +$299/mo | −$2,485/yr | — |
| 7 | Grand Forks, ND | $2,646/mo | +$293/mo | −$2,155/yr | — |
| 8 | Texarkana, TX | $2,635/mo | +$282/mo | −$2,485/yr | — |
| 9 | Cape Girardeau, MO | $2,618/mo | +$265/mo | +$348/yr | — |
| 10 | Jefferson City, MO | $2,610/mo | +$257/mo | +$348/yr | — |
| 11 | Killeen, TX | $2,606/mo | +$253/mo | −$2,485/yr | — |
| 12 | Laredo, TX | $2,603/mo | +$250/mo | −$2,485/yr | — |
| 13 | Morristown, TN | $2,592/mo | +$239/mo | −$2,485/yr | — |
| 14 | Sherman, TX | $2,589/mo | +$236/mo | −$2,485/yr | — |
| 15 | St. Joseph, MO | $2,584/mo | +$231/mo | +$348/yr | — |
| 16 | Eagle Pass, TX | $2,576/mo | +$223/mo | −$2,485/yr | — |
| 17 | Alexandria, LA | $2,573/mo | +$220/mo | −$460/yr | — |
| 18 | El Paso, TX | $2,564/mo | +$211/mo | −$2,485/yr | — |
| 19 | Beaumont, TX | $2,555/mo | +$202/mo | −$2,485/yr | — |
| 20 | Sioux Falls, SD | $2,549/mo | +$196/mo | −$2,485/yr | — |
| 21 | Weirton, WV | $2,545/mo | +$192/mo | +$533/yr | — |
| 22 | Brownsville, TX | $2,544/mo | +$191/mo | −$2,485/yr | — |
| 23 | Minot, ND | $2,544/mo | +$191/mo | −$2,155/yr | — |
| 24 | Kingsport, TN | $2,543/mo | +$190/mo | −$2,485/yr | — |
| 25 | College Station, TX | $2,540/mo | +$187/mo | −$2,485/yr | — |
Staying in Iowa
State income tax does not change. Rent still does. Compared with Des Moines.
Moving from another state
- Alabama
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- New Hampshire
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- North Carolina
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- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Cities that pay you to moveTake-home by jobDes Moines paycheck
Questions
Where do people from Iowa move?
Among metros on this site, the largest IRS flow out of Iowa in 2022-2023 is to Chicago, IL: 1,316 tax returns, about 1,861 people. The link uses the Davenport corridor, which sent the most of those returns.
How does state income tax change when you leave Iowa?
On $80,000 for a single filer, Iowa state income tax is $2,485 a year. The change column is the destination's state income tax minus that figure. A negative number is a smaller state tax bill. Local wage taxes are not in that column. They are in the leftover figure.
Where does a paycheck from Iowa go furthest?
At $80,000 held flat, one adult in a one-bedroom keeps $2,705 a month in Fargo, ND, +$352 versus Des Moines.