$100k salary, packing up from Denver
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
less monthly outlay than Denver
The gap is real. Des Moines costs noticeably less than Denver, every month.
a quick ledger.
$1,268/mo
32% cheaper than Denver(vs $1,863/mo)
6%
$133/mo more in state tax than Denver
vs 4.4% in Denver
$6,565/mo
$461 more than Denver
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$300k
50% cheaper than Denver
vs $599k in Denver
737k
vs 3.0M in Denver
field notes, weather & such.
151
pleasant days a year, in des moines.
Denver actually gets more: 174 pleasant days a year.
90% fewer events than Denver. The pace eases up.
55/100
35% lower than Denver
vs 85/100 in Denver
Closest outdoor draw: Rock Creek State Park, 40.2 mi.
78/100
20% lower than Denver
vs 97/100 in Denver
17
90% fewer than Denver
vs 169 nonstops in Denver
same energy as des moines, different zip code:
