on $100k a year, leaving Montgomery
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 Montgomery
Cost barely budges between Des Moines and Montgomery. Pick this one for the texture of the days, not the math.
a quick ledger.
$1,268/mo
8% cheaper than Montgomery(vs $1,376/mo)
6%
$83/mo more in state tax than Montgomery
vs 5% in Montgomery
$6,565/mo
$24 more than Montgomery
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$300k
42% more expensive than Montgomery
vs $212k in Montgomery
737k
vs 385k in Montgomery
field notes, weather & such.
151
pleasant days a year, in des moines.
Montgomery actually gets more: 181 pleasant days a year. The trade is winter: 55 days below 20°, vs 1 in Montgomery.
Nights and weekends fill up faster. 1.4× more on the calendar than Montgomery.
55/100
25% higher than Montgomery
vs 44/100 in Montgomery
Closest outdoor draw: Rock Creek State Park, 40.2 mi.
78/100
28% higher than Montgomery
vs 61/100 in Montgomery
17
467% more than Montgomery
vs 3 nonstops in Montgomery
if des moines appeals, also worth a look:
