same $100k income, fresh start from Ann Arbor
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
under Ann Arbor, every month
Not a fortune, but real money. Des Moines runs cheaper than Ann Arbor month over month.
a quick ledger.
$1,268/mo
39% cheaper than Ann Arbor(vs $2,082/mo)
6%
$146/mo more in state tax than Ann Arbor
vs 4.25% in Ann Arbor
$6,565/mo
$668 more than Ann Arbor
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$300k
30% cheaper than Ann Arbor
vs $429k in Ann Arbor
737k
vs 366k in Ann Arbor
field notes, weather & such.
151
pleasant days a year, in des moines.
Ann Arbor has the edge here, logging 154 pleasant days a year.
A real upgrade on things to do: 3.3× Ann Arbor's pace.
55/100
2% lower than Ann Arbor
vs 56/100 in Ann Arbor
Closest outdoor draw: Rock Creek State Park, 40.2 mi.
78/100
20% lower than Ann Arbor
vs 97/100 in Ann Arbor
17
87% fewer than Ann Arbor
vs 135 nonstops in Ann Arbor
cities that play in des moines's register:
