on $100k a year, leaving Louisville
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 Louisville ran you
A small premium for Des Moines. Worth it only if the rest of the city earns it back.
a quick ledger.
$1,268/mo
7% cheaper than Louisville(vs $1,368/mo)
6%
$125/mo more in state tax than Louisville
vs 4.5% in Louisville
$6,565/mo
$25 less than Louisville
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$300k
6% more expensive than Louisville
vs $282k in Louisville
737k
vs 1.4M in Louisville
field notes, weather & such.
151
pleasant days a year, in des moines.
Louisville actually gets more: 181 pleasant days a year. The trade is winter: 55 days below 20°, vs 15 in Louisville.
Lighter on events: Louisville packs 2.0× more into a month.
55/100
2% higher than Louisville
vs 54/100 in Louisville
Closest outdoor draw: Rock Creek State Park, 40.2 mi.
78/100
17% lower than Louisville
vs 94/100 in Louisville
17
23% fewer than Louisville
vs 22 nonstops in Louisville
if des moines appeals, also worth a look:
