Moving to Iowa from Pennsylvania
What to Expect
Considering a move from Pennsylvania to Iowa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Pennsylvania to Iowa, you would find that Iowa is 10.1% cheaper than Pennsylvania. A $75,000 salary in Pennsylvania would need to be roughly $64,199 in Iowa to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Pennsylvania and Iowa.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $64,199
To maintain the same standard of living in Iowa
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.1% less
Groceries
pay 19.1% less
Transportation
pay 18.9% less
Housing
pay 15.5% less
Childcare
pay 22.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 7.2% 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 Pennsylvania.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Pennsylvania generally does better on safety, though Iowa leads in property 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 significantly better than Pennsylvania across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Pennsylvania 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 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
Pennsylvania 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 | Harrisburg | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C) | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/50°F (22°/10°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/61°F (27°/16°C) | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 52°/34°F (11°/1°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Harrisburg | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/21°F (2.5°/-5.9°C) | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) |
| Feb | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.1°C) | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.3°/-0.9°C) | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Apr | 61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C) | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) |
| May | 72°/50°F (22.2°/10.1°C) | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) |
| Jun | 81°/60°F (27.2°/15.5°C) | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) |
| Jul | 85°/64°F (29.2°/17.8°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Aug | 83°/63°F (28.2°/17.0°C) | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) |
| Sep | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.8°C) | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) |
| Oct | 63°/42°F (17.4°/5.6°C) | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) |
| Nov | 52°/35°F (11.1°/1.6°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.4°/-3.2°C) | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Iowa than Pennsylvania?
On average Iowa is about 14% less expensive than Pennsylvania, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Iowa?
Budget about $16,050 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?
Pennsylvania generally does better on safety, though Iowa leads in property crime rate.
How is healthcare in Iowa compared to Pennsylvania?
Iowa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pennsylvania leads in adult obesity rate.
What's the weather like in Iowa compared to Pennsylvania?
The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 61°F in Harrisburg. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Harrisburg gets 43.6 in.
