$100k salary, packing up from Anchorage
changea dispatch from
des moines
IA
41.59°N
93.62°W
Des Moines is the Iowa State Fair every August (think butter cows, deep-fried everything, and the political circus of every presidential cycle), insurance industry stability, and a downtown that's grown into a genuinely good food and brewery scene. The East Village neighborhood is the cool kid pocket. The whole city is bikeable. Friendly, affordable, and chronically underestimated.
in our guides
the verdict
the monthly cost of moving past Anchorage
A small premium for Des Moines. Worth it only if the rest of the city earns it back.
a quick ledger.
$1,268/mo
26% cheaper than Anchorage(vs $1,713/mo)
6%
$500/mo more in state tax than Anchorage
vs 0% in Anchorage
$6,565/mo
$55 less than Anchorage
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$300k
32% cheaper than Anchorage
vs $438k in Anchorage
737k
vs 401k in Anchorage
field notes, weather & such.
151
pleasant days a year, in des moines.
Anchorage keeps to 93 pleasant days a year.
55/100
19% lower than Anchorage
vs 68/100 in Anchorage
Closest outdoor draw: Rock Creek State Park, 40.2 mi.
78/100
1% lower than Anchorage
vs 79/100 in Anchorage
17
50% fewer than Anchorage
vs 34 nonstops in Anchorage
if des moines appeals, also worth a look:
