on $100k a year, leaving Lincoln
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
lighter monthly cost than Lincoln
Des Moines and Lincoln land close on cost. The reasons to move are about how you'd live, not what you'd save.
a quick ledger.
$1,268/mo
3% cheaper than Lincoln(vs $1,311/mo)
6%
$13/mo more in state tax than Lincoln
vs 5.84% in Lincoln
$6,565/mo
$29 more than Lincoln
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$300k
1% cheaper than Lincoln
vs $302k in Lincoln
737k
vs 344k in Lincoln
field notes, weather & such.
151
pleasant days a year, in des moines.
Lincoln actually gets more: 152 pleasant days a year.
1.8× the events of Lincoln, and the calendar shows it.
55/100
4% higher than Lincoln
vs 53/100 in Lincoln
Closest outdoor draw: Rock Creek State Park, 40.2 mi.
78/100
4% higher than Lincoln
vs 75/100 in Lincoln
17
467% more than Lincoln
vs 3 nonstops in Lincoln
if des moines appeals, also worth a look:
