on $100k a year, leaving Lexington
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
under Lexington, every month
Cost barely budges between Des Moines and Lexington. Pick this one for the texture of the days, not the math.
a quick ledger.
$1,268/mo
15% cheaper than Lexington(vs $1,488/mo)
6%
$125/mo more in state tax than Lexington
vs 4.5% in Lexington
$6,565/mo
$95 more than Lexington
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$300k
8% cheaper than Lexington
vs $324k in Lexington
737k
vs 520k in Lexington
field notes, weather & such.
151
pleasant days a year, in des moines.
Lexington actually gets more: 171 pleasant days a year. Winter shows up, though: 55 days below 20° vs Lexington's 19.
On par with Lexington for events and shows.
55/100
8% lower than Lexington
vs 60/100 in Lexington
Closest outdoor draw: Rock Creek State Park, 40.2 mi.
78/100
11% lower than Lexington
vs 88/100 in Lexington
17
31% more than Lexington
vs 13 nonstops in Lexington
same energy as des moines, different zip code:
