Moving to Iowa from Nevada
What to Expect
Considering a move from Nevada to Iowa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Nevada to Iowa, you would find that Iowa is 14.6% cheaper than Nevada. A $75,000 salary in Nevada would need to be roughly $60,136 in Iowa to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Nevada and Iowa.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $60,136
To maintain the same standard of living in Iowa
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 19.6% less
Groceries
pay 16.0% less
Transportation
pay 28.3% less
Housing
pay 23.6% less
Childcare
pay 6.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 0.3% 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
The numbers behind daily life in Iowa compared to Nevada.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Iowa performs significantly better than Nevada 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
Nevada 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 significantly better than Nevada across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Nevada 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
Iowa generally does better on employment & economy, though Nevada 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 performs significantly better than Nevada 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 | Carson City | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 51°/26°F (10°/-4°C) | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/41°F (22°/5°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/49°F (30°/9°C) | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 56°/28°F (13°/-2°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Carson City | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°/22°F (7.3°/-5.7°C) | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) |
| Feb | 50°/25°F (9.9°/-3.7°C) | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) |
| Mar | 57°/30°F (13.7°/-1.2°C) | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Apr | 63°/34°F (17.1°/1.1°C) | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) |
| May | 71°/41°F (21.9°/4.9°C) | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) |
| Jun | 81°/47°F (27.3°/8.4°C) | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) |
| Jul | 90°/52°F (32.0°/11.2°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Aug | 88°/51°F (31.1°/10.3°C) | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) |
| Sep | 80°/43°F (26.9°/6.3°C) | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) |
| Oct | 68°/35°F (19.9°/1.4°C) | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) |
| Nov | 54°/27°F (12.4°/-2.7°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) |
| Dec | 45°/22°F (7.2°/-5.6°C) | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Iowa than Nevada?
On average Iowa is about 20% less expensive than Nevada, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Iowa?
Budget about $15,034 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 Nevada across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Iowa compared to Nevada?
Nevada generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iowa leads in uninsured rate.
What's the weather like in Iowa compared to Nevada?
The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 66°F in Carson City. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Carson City gets 9.7 in.
