on $100k a year, leaving Ogden
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 Ogden, every month
Des Moines gives you room Ogden doesn't. Same gross salary, lower monthly cost of living.
a quick ledger.
$1,268/mo
23% cheaper than Ogden(vs $1,641/mo)
6%
$112/mo more in state tax than Ogden
vs 4.65% in Ogden
$6,565/mo
$260 more than Ogden
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$300k
43% cheaper than Ogden
vs $524k in Ogden
737k
vs 658k in Ogden
field notes, weather & such.
151
pleasant days a year, in des moines.
Ogden has the edge here, logging 174 pleasant days a year.
A real upgrade on things to do: 23.0× Ogden's pace.
55/100
31% lower than Ogden
vs 80/100 in Ogden
Closest outdoor draw: Rock Creek State Park, 40.2 mi.
78/100
7% lower than Ogden
vs 84/100 in Ogden
17
81% fewer than Ogden
vs 90 nonstops in Ogden
same energy as des moines, different zip code:
