on $100k a year, leaving Dayton
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
pricier each month than Dayton
A small premium for Des Moines. Worth it only if the rest of the city earns it back.
a quick ledger.
$1,268/mo
4% cheaper than Dayton(vs $1,321/mo)
6%
$168/mo more in state tax than Dayton
vs 3.99% in Dayton
$6,565/mo
$115 less than Dayton
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$300k
116% more expensive than Dayton
vs $139k in Dayton
737k
vs 808k in Dayton
field notes, weather & such.
151
pleasant days a year, in des moines.
Dayton actually gets more: 171 pleasant days a year. Cold snaps are part of the year: 55 days below 20° here, 34 in Dayton.
229% more happening than in Dayton.
55/100
11% lower than Dayton
vs 62/100 in Dayton
Closest outdoor draw: Rock Creek State Park, 40.2 mi.
78/100
12% lower than Dayton
vs 89/100 in Dayton
17
6% more than Dayton
vs 16 nonstops in Dayton
neighbors of des moines on the map of tradeoffs:
