Moving to Connecticut from Iowa
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Iowa to Connecticut — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Iowa to Connecticut, you would find that Connecticut is 30.6% more expensive than Iowa. A $75,000 salary in Iowa would need to be roughly $107,287 in Connecticut to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Iowa to Connecticut.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $107,287
To maintain the same standard of living in Connecticut
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 22.9% more
Groceries
pay 37.2% more
Transportation
pay 24.6% more
Housing
pay 64.8% more
Childcare
pay 34.8% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 24.3% more
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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iowa to Connecticut.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Iowa generally does better on safety, though Connecticut leads in violent crime rate.
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
Connecticut 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 performs better than Connecticut across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Iowa generally does better on infrastructure, though Connecticut leads in internet access.
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
Connecticut 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
Connecticut performs significantly 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)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Des Moines | Bridgeport |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) | 42°/23°F (6°/-5°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 68°/49°F (20°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 80°/62°F (26°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 53°/34°F (12°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Des Moines | Bridgeport |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) | 38°/20°F (3.1°/-6.9°C) |
| Feb | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) | 41°/21°F (4.9°/-6.0°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) | 47°/29°F (8.6°/-1.7°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 59°/40°F (15.1°/4.2°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) | 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.6°C) |
| Jun | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) | 78°/59°F (25.7°/15.1°C) |
| Jul | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 83°/65°F (28.1°/18.3°C) |
| Aug | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) | 82°/64°F (27.6°/17.7°C) |
| Sep | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) | 75°/56°F (23.7°/13.1°C) |
| Oct | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) | 63°/44°F (17.4°/6.5°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) | 54°/34°F (12.1°/1.3°C) |
| Dec | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) | 43°/24°F (6.1°/-4.2°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Connecticut than Iowa?
No — Connecticut is on average about 43% more expensive than Iowa. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Connecticut?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $26,822 in Connecticut on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is Connecticut safe?
Iowa generally does better on safety, though Connecticut leads in violent crime rate.
How is healthcare in Connecticut compared to Iowa?
Connecticut generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iowa leads in uninsured rate.
What's the weather like in Connecticut compared to Iowa?
The average high temperature in Bridgeport is 61°F, compared to 60°F in Des Moines. Bridgeport receives around 47.7 in of rainfall per year, while Des Moines gets 36.0 in.
