on $100k a year, leaving Reno
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 Reno, every month
Money-wise it's a wash. The case for Des Moines is everything that isn't rent.
a quick ledger.
$1,268/mo
34% cheaper than Reno(vs $1,908/mo)
6%
$500/mo more in state tax than Reno
vs 0% in Reno
$6,565/mo
$140 more than Reno
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$300k
48% cheaper than Reno
vs $574k in Reno
737k
vs 565k in Reno
field notes, weather & such.
151
pleasant days a year, in des moines.
Reno has the edge here, logging 201 pleasant days a year. Winter shows up, though: 55 days below 20° vs Reno's 28.
Noticeably quieter than Reno. About 55% fewer events on a typical month.
55/100
23% lower than Reno
vs 71/100 in Reno
Closest outdoor draw: Rock Creek State Park, 40.2 mi.
78/100
18% lower than Reno
vs 95/100 in Reno
17
31% more than Reno
vs 13 nonstops in Reno
in the same ballpark as des moines:
