Moving to Iowa from Connecticut
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Connecticut to Iowa — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Connecticut to Iowa, you would find that Iowa is 19.6% cheaper than Connecticut. A $75,000 salary in Connecticut would need to be roughly $52,429 in Iowa to maintain the same lifestyle. What to expect for your wallet after moving from Connecticut to Iowa. What does your salary buy? $75,000 → $52,429 To maintain the same standard of living in Iowa Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day Restaurants pay 16.6% less Groceries pay 26.4% less Transportation pay 18.6% less Housing pay 30.1% less Childcare pay 25.7% less Entertainment and Sports pay 15.6% less Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources. Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Connecticut to Iowa. incidents per 100,000 people per year incidents per 100,000 people per year Connecticut generally does better on safety, though Iowa leads in property crime rate. share of people without health insurance share of adults with obesity share of adults with diabetes share of adults who smoke Connecticut generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iowa leads in uninsured rate. typical price of a home typical monthly gross rent share of homes that are owner-occupied Iowa performs significantly better than Connecticut across all what about housing? metrics. share of households with internet minutes each way to work Connecticut generally does better on infrastructure, though Iowa leads in average commute. percentage of the labour force without work a broad measure of economic output per person typical annual income of a household share of people below the poverty line Connecticut generally does better on employment & economy, though Iowa leads in unemployment rate. average years of life at birth share of adults with a 4-year college degree Connecticut performs better than Iowa across all family life metrics. Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: Yes — Iowa is on average about 30% cheaper than Connecticut. City-level variation can be significant. Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $13,107 in Iowa on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit). Connecticut generally does better on safety, though Iowa leads in property crime rate. Connecticut generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iowa leads in uninsured rate. The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 61°F in Bridgeport. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Bridgeport gets 47.7 in. How Far Will Your Money Go?
Key Indicator Comparison
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Bridgeport Des Moines Jan–Mar 42°/23°F (6°/-5°C) 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) Apr–Jun 68°/49°F (20°/10°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) Jul–Sep 80°/62°F (26°/16°C) 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) Oct–Dec 53°/34°F (12°/1°C) 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) View all months
Month Bridgeport Des Moines Jan 38°/20°F (3.1°/-6.9°C) 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) Feb 41°/21°F (4.9°/-6.0°C) 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) Mar 47°/29°F (8.6°/-1.7°C) 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) Apr 59°/40°F (15.1°/4.2°C) 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) May 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.6°C) 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) Jun 78°/59°F (25.7°/15.1°C) 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) Jul 83°/65°F (28.1°/18.3°C) 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) Aug 82°/64°F (27.6°/17.7°C) 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) Sep 75°/56°F (23.7°/13.1°C) 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) Oct 63°/44°F (17.4°/6.5°C) 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) Nov 54°/34°F (12.1°/1.3°C) 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) Dec 43°/24°F (6.1°/-4.2°C) 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) 
National Weather Service Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Iowa than Connecticut?
How much money do I need to move to Iowa?
Is Iowa safe?
How is healthcare in Iowa compared to Connecticut?
What's the weather like in Iowa compared to Connecticut?
