$100k a year, no longer in Dallas
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 Dallas
Almost a wash on cost. The case for Des Moines is about what you'd do there, not what you'd save.
a quick ledger.
$1,268/mo
23% cheaper than Dallas(vs $1,647/mo)
6%
$500/mo more in state tax than Dallas
vs 0% in Dallas
$6,565/mo
$121 less than Dallas
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$300k
18% cheaper than Dallas
vs $367k in Dallas
737k
vs 8.1M in Dallas
field notes, weather & such.
151
pleasant days a year, in des moines.
Dallas edges ahead with 171 pleasant days. Winter asks for something in return: 55 days under 20° here, 2 in Dallas.
Dallas hosts 9.6× more events.
55/100
4% lower than Dallas
vs 57/100 in Dallas
Closest outdoor draw: Rock Creek State Park, 40.2 mi.
78/100
16% lower than Dallas
vs 93/100 in Dallas
17
91% fewer than Dallas
vs 190 nonstops in Dallas
cities that play in des moines's register:
