$100k a year, no longer in Baltimore
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 Baltimore, every month
Des Moines is the easier version of your monthly budget. Lower rent, lighter monthly outlay.
a quick ledger.
$1,268/mo
32% cheaper than Baltimore(vs $1,868/mo)
6%
$183/mo less in state tax than Baltimore
vs 8.2% in Baltimore
$6,565/mo
$783 more than Baltimore
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$300k
27% cheaper than Baltimore
vs $412k in Baltimore
737k
vs 2.8M in Baltimore
field notes, weather & such.
151
pleasant days a year, in des moines.
Baltimore actually gets more: 168 pleasant days a year. Cold snaps are part of the year: 55 days below 20° here, 21 in Baltimore.
Noticeably quieter than Baltimore. About 31% fewer events on a typical month.
55/100
17% lower than Baltimore
vs 66/100 in Baltimore
Closest outdoor draw: Rock Creek State Park, 40.2 mi.
78/100
20% lower than Baltimore
vs 98/100 in Baltimore
17
76% fewer than Baltimore
vs 72 nonstops in Baltimore
in the same ballpark as des moines:
