Moving to Pennsylvania from Iowa
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iowa to Pennsylvania? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iowa to Pennsylvania, you would find that Pennsylvania is 15.6% more expensive than Iowa. A $75,000 salary in Iowa would need to be roughly $87,618 in Pennsylvania to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iowa and Pennsylvania.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $87,618
To maintain the same standard of living in Pennsylvania
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.7% more
Groceries
pay 24.1% more
Transportation
pay 27.8% more
Housing
pay 20.9% more
Childcare
pay 34.5% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 0.7% 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 Pennsylvania compared to Iowa.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Iowa generally does better on safety, though Pennsylvania 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
Iowa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pennsylvania leads in adult obesity rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Iowa performs better than Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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
Iowa generally does better on employment & economy, though Pennsylvania leads in median household income.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Iowa generally does better on family life, though Pennsylvania leads in bachelor's degree or higher.
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 | Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) | 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 71°/50°F (22°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 81°/61°F (27°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 52°/34°F (11°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Des Moines | Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) | 36°/21°F (2.5°/-5.9°C) |
| Feb | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.1°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) | 49°/30°F (9.3°/-0.9°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) | 72°/50°F (22.2°/10.1°C) |
| Jun | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) | 81°/60°F (27.2°/15.5°C) |
| Jul | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 85°/64°F (29.2°/17.8°C) |
| Aug | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) | 83°/63°F (28.2°/17.0°C) |
| Sep | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.8°C) |
| Oct | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) | 63°/42°F (17.4°/5.6°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) | 52°/35°F (11.1°/1.6°C) |
| Dec | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) | 40°/26°F (4.4°/-3.2°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Pennsylvania than Iowa?
On average Pennsylvania is around 17% pricier than Iowa, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Pennsylvania?
Budget about $21,904 for 3 months in Pennsylvania (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is Pennsylvania safe?
Iowa generally does better on safety, though Pennsylvania leads in violent crime rate.
How is healthcare in Pennsylvania compared to Iowa?
Iowa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pennsylvania leads in adult obesity rate.
What's the weather like in Pennsylvania compared to Iowa?
The average high temperature in Harrisburg is 61°F, compared to 60°F in Des Moines. Harrisburg receives around 43.6 in of rainfall per year, while Des Moines gets 36.0 in.
