Moving to Iowa from Delaware
What to Expect
Considering a move from Delaware to Iowa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Delaware to Iowa, you would find that Iowa is 13.4% cheaper than Delaware. A $75,000 salary in Delaware would need to be roughly $61,845 in Iowa to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Delaware and Iowa.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $61,845
To maintain the same standard of living in Iowa
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 4.1% less
Groceries
pay 14.1% less
Transportation
pay 9.2% less
Housing
pay 18.5% less
Childcare
pay 39.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.1% 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 Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iowa compared to Delaware.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Iowa performs significantly better than Delaware across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Delaware generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iowa leads in uninsured rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Iowa generally does better on what about housing?, though Delaware leads in homeownership rate.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Delaware generally does better on infrastructure, though Iowa leads in average commute.
What are the job prospects?
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
Delaware generally does better on employment & economy, though Iowa leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Delaware generally does better on family life, though Iowa leads in life expectancy.
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)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Dover | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/54°F (24°/12°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 84°/65°F (29°/18°C) | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 58°/40°F (15°/4°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Dover | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°/27°F (6.3°/-2.7°C) | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) |
| Feb | 47°/29°F (8.3°/-1.7°C) | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) |
| Mar | 55°/36°F (12.7°/2.0°C) | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Apr | 66°/44°F (18.7°/6.8°C) | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) |
| May | 75°/54°F (23.7°/12.1°C) | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) |
| Jun | 83°/63°F (28.4°/17.4°C) | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) |
| Jul | 87°/68°F (30.6°/20.2°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Aug | 85°/67°F (29.6°/19.4°C) | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) |
| Sep | 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.6°C) | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) |
| Oct | 69°/49°F (20.4°/9.3°C) | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) |
| Nov | 58°/40°F (14.7°/4.3°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) |
| Dec | 47°/31°F (8.6°/-0.6°C) | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Iowa than Delaware?
On average Iowa is about 18% less expensive than Delaware, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Iowa?
Budget about $15,461 for 3 months in Iowa (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is Iowa safe?
Iowa performs significantly better than Delaware across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Iowa compared to Delaware?
Delaware generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iowa leads in uninsured rate.
What's the weather like in Iowa compared to Delaware?
The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 66°F in Dover. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Dover gets 46.1 in.
