Moving to Iowa from Benin

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Benin to Iowa — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Benin to Iowa, and you’d need to navigate life in English.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Benin to Iowa, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
750

people moved from Benin to United States · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United States?

Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Benin and Iowa stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

BJ
9.6%
IA
38.7%

Benin performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

BJ
34.0%
IA
87.9%

Iowa performs significantly better than Benin across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

BJ
1.4%
IA
3.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

BJ
$3,800
IA
$63,747

Iowa generally does better on employment & economy, though Benin leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BJ
62.2 yrs
IA
77.5 yrs

Iowa performs significantly better than Benin across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Porto-novo Rain: 47.0 in/yr (1194 mm)
None° / None°F

Avg. annual high / low

Des Moines Rain: 36.0 in/yr (915 mm)
60° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Porto-novo Des Moines
Jan–Mar 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 82°/62°F (28°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Porto-novo Des Moines
Jan 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C)
Feb 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C)
Mar 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C)
Apr 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C)
May 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C)
Jun 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C)
Jul 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C)
Aug 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C)
Sep 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C)
Oct 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C)
Nov 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C)
Dec 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C)

Data: Agence Nationale de la Meteorologie (METEO BENIN) Agence Nationale de la Meteorologie (METEO BENIN), National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Benin and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.

Benin passport

Benin passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Benin passport holders need a visa to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Benin

Visa Online (e-Visa)
United States passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Benin.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Iowa?

Working remotely from Iowa's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Benin and Iowa.

How is healthcare in Iowa compared to Benin?

Benin performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Iowa compared to Benin?

The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to None°F in Porto-novo. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Porto-novo gets 47.0 in.

What language do they speak in Iowa?

The official language in Iowa is English. In Benin, the official language is French.

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At a Glance

BJ
Population 13,754,688 3,046,355
Currency CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) United States Dollar ($)
Languages French English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +229 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 911