$100k a year, no longer in Lansing
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 each month than Lansing ran you
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
1% more expensive than Lansing(vs $1,259/mo)
6%
$146/mo more in state tax than Lansing
vs 4.25% in Lansing
$6,565/mo
$155 less than Lansing
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$300k
23% more expensive than Lansing
vs $244k in Lansing
737k
vs 473k in Lansing
field notes, weather & such.
151
pleasant days a year, in des moines.
Lansing actually gets more: 153 pleasant days a year.
A real upgrade on things to do: 2.6× Lansing's pace.
55/100
4% lower than Lansing
vs 57/100 in Lansing
Closest outdoor draw: Rock Creek State Park, 40.2 mi.
78/100
2% lower than Lansing
vs 80/100 in Lansing
17
183% more than Lansing
vs 6 nonstops in Lansing
cities that play in des moines's register:
