Moving to Connecticut from Iowa

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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

See full cost of living breakdown

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?

Violent crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

IA
277
CT
147
Property crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

IA
1427
CT
1528

Iowa generally does better on safety, though Connecticut leads in violent crime rate.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rateUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

IA
4.7%
CT
5.1%
Adult obesity rateCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

IA
38.7%
CT
31.3%

Connecticut generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iowa leads in uninsured rate.

What about housing?

Median home valueUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

IA
$195,900
CT
$343,200
Median rentUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

IA
$949
CT
$1,431

Iowa performs better than Connecticut across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

IA
87.9%
CT
91.3%
Average commuteUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

IA
20 min
CT
27 min

Iowa generally does better on infrastructure, though Connecticut leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateBureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IA
3.3%
CT
4.1%
GDP per capitaBureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

IA
$63,747
CT
$77,582

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyOECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

IA
77.5 yrs
CT
78.4 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higherUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

IA
20%
CT
29%

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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

BridgeportRain: 47.7 in/yr (1212 mm)
61°/42°F

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsDes MoinesBridgeport
Jan–Mar39°/21°F (4°/-6°C)42°/23°F (6°/-5°C)
Apr–Jun72°/52°F (22°/11°C)68°/49°F (20°/10°C)
Jul–Sep82°/62°F (28°/17°C)80°/62°F (26°/16°C)
Oct–Dec48°/31°F (9°/-1°C)53°/34°F (12°/1°C)
View all months
MonthDes MoinesBridgeport
Jan31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C)38°/20°F (3.1°/-6.9°C)
Feb36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C)41°/21°F (4.9°/-6.0°C)
Mar49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C)47°/29°F (8.6°/-1.7°C)
Apr62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C)59°/40°F (15.1°/4.2°C)
May72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C)68°/49°F (20.2°/9.6°C)
Jun82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C)78°/59°F (25.7°/15.1°C)
Jul86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C)83°/65°F (28.1°/18.3°C)
Aug84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C)82°/64°F (27.6°/17.7°C)
Sep76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C)75°/56°F (23.7°/13.1°C)
Oct63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C)63°/44°F (17.4°/6.5°C)
Nov48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C)54°/34°F (12.1°/1.3°C)
Dec34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C)43°/24°F (6.1°/-4.2°C)

Data: National Weather Service 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.

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