Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Tajikistan instead of Iowa, you would:

Health

be 40.4% less likely to be obese

In Iowa, 38.7% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Tajikistan, that number is 23.1% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 2.1 times more likely to be unemployed

In Iowa, 3.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Tajikistan, that number is 6.9% as of 2025.

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be 88.6% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Iowa, 10.5% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Tajikistan, however, that number is 19.8% as of 2024.

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make 97.4% less money

Iowa has a GDP per capita of $63,747 as of 2024, while in Tajikistan, the GDP per capita is $1,637 as of 2025.

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Basic Needs

be 36.5% less likely to have internet access

In Iowa, approximately 87.9% of the population has internet access as of 2023. In Tajikistan, about 55.8% do as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2024–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024). How we calculate this

Compare further: Iowa vs. Tajikistan

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Tajikistan is 59.0% cheaper than Iowa
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Size Comparison · See true size
Iowa is around the same size as Tajikistan.
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Moving from Iowa to Tajikistan · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
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Tajikistan: At a glance

Tajikistan is a sovereign country in Central Asia, with a total land area of approximately 141,510 sq km. The Tajik people came under Russian rule in the 1860s and 1870s, but Russia's hold on Central Asia weakened following the Revolution of 1917. Bands of indigenous guerrillas (called "basmachi") fiercely contested Bolshevik control of the area, which was not fully reestablished until 1925. Tajikistan was first created as an autonomous republic within Uzbekistan in 1924, but the USSR designated Tajikistan a separate republic in 1929 and transferred to it much of present-day Sughd province. Ethnic Uzbeks form a substantial minority in Tajikistan. Tajikistan became independent in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union, and experienced a civil war between regional factions from 1992 to 1997. Tajikistan endured several domestic security incidents during 2010-12, including armed conflict between government forces and local strongmen in the Rasht Valley and between government forces and criminal groups in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast. The country remains the poorest in the former Soviet sphere. Tajikistan became a member of the World Trade Organization in March 2013. However, its economy continues to face major challenges, including dependence on remittances from Tajikistanis working in Russia, pervasive corruption, and the major role narcotrafficking plays in the country's informal economy.
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How big is Tajikistan compared to Iowa? See an in-depth size comparison.

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