same $100k income, fresh start from Philadelphia
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 Philadelphia
Not a fortune, but real money. Des Moines runs cheaper than Philadelphia month over month.
a quick ledger.
$1,268/mo
32% cheaper than Philadelphia(vs $1,869/mo)
6%
$68/mo less in state tax than Philadelphia
vs 6.82% in Philadelphia
$6,565/mo
$669 more than Philadelphia
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$300k
24% cheaper than Philadelphia
vs $393k in Philadelphia
737k
vs 6.2M in Philadelphia
field notes, weather & such.
151
pleasant days a year, in des moines.
Philadelphia has the edge here, logging 173 pleasant days a year. Winter shows up, though: 55 days below 20° vs Philadelphia's 21.
Lighter on events: Philadelphia packs 4.0× more into a month.
55/100
20% lower than Philadelphia
vs 69/100 in Philadelphia
Closest outdoor draw: Rock Creek State Park, 40.2 mi.
78/100
22% lower than Philadelphia
vs 100/100 in Philadelphia
17
86% fewer than Philadelphia
vs 122 nonstops in Philadelphia
in the same ballpark as des moines:
