same $100k income, fresh start from Detroit
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
cheaper each month than Detroit
Money-wise it's a wash. The case for Des Moines is everything that isn't rent.
a quick ledger.
$1,268/mo
14% cheaper than Detroit(vs $1,472/mo)
6%
$146/mo more in state tax than Detroit
vs 4.25% in Detroit
$6,565/mo
$58 more than Detroit
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$300k
14% more expensive than Detroit
vs $262k in Detroit
737k
vs 4.3M in Detroit
field notes, weather & such.
151
pleasant days a year, in des moines.
Detroit gets 160 pleasant days a year, so you'd be trading some sunshine. Winter has bite, though: 55 days drop below 20° vs Detroit's 37.
Detroit hosts 2.0× more events.
55/100
17% higher than Detroit
vs 47/100 in Detroit
Closest outdoor draw: Rock Creek State Park, 40.2 mi.
78/100
21% lower than Detroit
vs 99/100 in Detroit
17
87% fewer than Detroit
vs 135 nonstops in Detroit
if des moines appeals, also worth a look:
