same $100k income, fresh start from Manchester
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 Manchester
Not a fortune, but real money. Des Moines runs cheaper than Manchester month over month.
a quick ledger.
$1,268/mo
39% cheaper than Manchester(vs $2,092/mo)
6%
$500/mo more in state tax than Manchester
vs 0% in Manchester
$6,565/mo
$324 more than Manchester
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$300k
45% cheaper than Manchester
vs $548k in Manchester
737k
vs 427k in Manchester
field notes, weather & such.
151
pleasant days a year, in des moines.
Manchester has the edge here, logging 154 pleasant days a year.
Nights and weekends fill up faster. 3.1× more on the calendar than Manchester.
55/100
11% lower than Manchester
vs 62/100 in Manchester
Closest outdoor draw: Rock Creek State Park, 40.2 mi.
78/100
20% lower than Manchester
vs 98/100 in Manchester
17
31% more than Manchester
vs 13 nonstops in Manchester
cities that play in des moines's register:
