$100k a year, no longer in Riverside
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
less monthly outlay than Riverside
Des Moines sits well below Riverside on cost. Same paycheck, a noticeably lighter month.
a quick ledger.
$1,268/mo
49% cheaper than Riverside(vs $2,493/mo)
6%
$275/mo less in state tax than Riverside
vs 9.3% in Riverside
$6,565/mo
$1,500 more than Riverside
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$300k
50% cheaper than Riverside
vs $595k in Riverside
737k
vs 4.7M in Riverside
field notes, weather & such.
151
pleasant days a year, in des moines.
Riverside edges ahead with 249 pleasant days. Winter asks for something in return: 55 days under 20° here, 0 in Riverside.
7.7× the events of Riverside, and the calendar shows it.
55/100
20% lower than Riverside
vs 69/100 in Riverside
Closest outdoor draw: Rock Creek State Park, 40.2 mi.
78/100
15% lower than Riverside
vs 92/100 in Riverside
17
21% more than Riverside
vs 14 nonstops in Riverside
neighbors of des moines on the map of tradeoffs:
