same $100k income, fresh start from Atlanta
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
cheaper each month than Atlanta
Not a fortune, but real money. Des Moines runs cheaper than Atlanta month over month.
a quick ledger.
$1,268/mo
30% cheaper than Atlanta(vs $1,814/mo)
6%
$43/mo more in state tax than Atlanta
vs 5.49% in Atlanta
$6,565/mo
$503 more than Atlanta
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$300k
22% cheaper than Atlanta
vs $386k in Atlanta
737k
vs 6.3M in Atlanta
field notes, weather & such.
151
pleasant days a year, in des moines.
Atlanta edges ahead with 204 pleasant days. Cold is the cost: 55 days drop below 20° vs Atlanta's 2.
81% fewer events than Atlanta. The pace eases up.
55/100
18% lower than Atlanta
vs 67/100 in Atlanta
Closest outdoor draw: Rock Creek State Park, 40.2 mi.
78/100
16% lower than Atlanta
vs 93/100 in Atlanta
17
92% fewer than Atlanta
vs 217 nonstops in Atlanta
if des moines appeals, also worth a look:
