01 · the cities
Des Moines
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.
full dispatch→Syracuse
Syracuse averages around 120 inches of snow per year, which is the most of any major U.S. city, and locals wear it like a badge. The Carrier Dome (now JMA Wireless Dome) is the largest on-campus arena in the country. The food scene leans Italian (Salt City was an Italian immigrant hub) and excellent. The Finger Lakes are right next door. Bring boots.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,268/mo
$1,619/mo
$351/mo more than Des Moines (22%)
Median home price
Median home price
$300k
$254k
$45k less than Des Moines
State income tax
State income tax
6.0%
5.9%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,565/mo
$6,227/mo
Des Moines has $338/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
151 days
142 days
9 fewer than Des Moines
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
7 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
55 days
53 days
days below 20°F per year
Des Moines has 6 more days above 95°F each year than Syracuse.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
55 / 100
59 / 100
4.0 pts ahead of Des Moines
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
17 routes
16 routes
Metro size
Metro size
737k metro
653k metro
Des Moines has 1.5x fewer events per month than Syracuse.
the verdict
3
Des Moines
categories won
4
Syracuse
categories won
Syracuse leads on lifestyle and wins overall.
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