with $100k coming in, swapping out of Des Moines
changea dispatch from
houston
TX
29.76°N
95.37°W
Houston has no zoning laws (you'll see a taco truck next to a mansion next to a strip mall), the most diverse food scene in America by most rankings, and NASA's mission control out on the edge of town. The Texas Medical Center is the largest in the world. It's sprawling and culturally enormous, with a Vietnamese pho district, Nigerian jollof spots, and a Tex-Mex scene that takes itself seriously. Bigger than you think, in every direction.
in our guides
the verdict
lighter monthly cost than Des Moines
Cost barely budges between Houston and Des Moines. Pick this one for the texture of the days, not the math.
a quick ledger.
$1,610/mo
27% more expensive than Des Moines(vs $1,268/mo)
0%
$500/mo less in state tax than Des Moines
vs 6% in Des Moines
$6,723/mo
$158 more than Des Moines
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$311k
4% more expensive than Des Moines
vs $300k in Des Moines
7.5M
vs 737k in Des Moines
field notes, weather & such.
171
pleasant days a year, in houston.
Des Moines keeps to 151 pleasant days a year. Bring the AC. 54 days a year clear 95°, well past Des Moines's 7.
A real upgrade on things to do: 4.6× Des Moines's pace.
55/100
0% lower than Des Moines
vs 55/100 in Des Moines
Closest outdoor draw: Sheldon Lake State Park & Environmental Learning Center, 14.6 mi.
77/100
1% lower than Des Moines
vs 78/100 in Des Moines
176
935% more than Des Moines
vs 17 nonstops in Des Moines
neighbors of houston on the map of tradeoffs:
compare houston with:
