01 · the cities
New York
New York is the city that refuses to take a nap. Five boroughs of bodegas, bagels, late-night dollar slices, and entire neighborhoods that switch languages every six blocks. The subway is a 472-station miracle that runs all night, and Central Park is the green lung that keeps Manhattan sane. You will spend more than you planned and love every minute of it.
full dispatch→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→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,268/mo
$2,061/mo less than New York (163%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$300k
$440k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
6.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$6,565/mo
Des Moines has $2,455/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
171 days
151 days
20 fewer than New York
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
7 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
55 days
days below 20°F per year
Des Moines has 6 more days above 95°F each year than New York. Des Moines drops below 20°F on 36 more days per year than New York.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
55 / 100
23.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
17 routes
198 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
737k metro
New York has 84.9x more events per month than Des Moines.
the verdict
5
New York
categories won
4
Des Moines
categories won
New York wins on weather and lifestyle. Des Moines has the edge on money.
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