with $100k coming in, swapping out of Columbus
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
more expensive each month than Columbus
Des Moines edges out a little pricier. Close enough that the decision rides on the days, not the dollars.
a quick ledger.
$1,268/mo
0% more expensive than Columbus(vs $1,264/mo)
6%
$43/mo more in state tax than Columbus
vs 5.49% in Columbus
$6,565/mo
$47 less than Columbus
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$300k
44% more expensive than Columbus
vs $208k in Columbus
737k
vs 329k in Columbus
field notes, weather & such.
151
pleasant days a year, in des moines.
Columbus actually gets more: 177 pleasant days a year. Bring a real coat. 55 days stay under 20°, well past Columbus's 2.
A month here packs 2.0× the events of Columbus.
55/100
17% higher than Columbus
vs 47/100 in Columbus
Closest outdoor draw: Rock Creek State Park, 40.2 mi.
78/100
0% lower than Columbus
vs 78/100 in Columbus
17
1600% more than Columbus
vs 1 nonstops in Columbus
cities that play in des moines's register:
