Moving to Iowa from Texas
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Texas to Iowa — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Texas to Iowa, you would find that Iowa is 6.0% cheaper than Texas. A $75,000 salary in Texas would need to be roughly $68,460 in Iowa to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Des Moines averages 60°F vs 79°F in Austin, making it significantly cooler. What to expect for your wallet after moving from Texas to Iowa. What does your salary buy? $75,000 → $68,460 To maintain the same standard of living in Iowa Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day Restaurants pay 6.8% less Groceries pay 3.9% less Transportation pay 15.2% less Housing pay 18.2% less Childcare pay 4.1% less Entertainment and Sports pay 9.7% 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. Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%). On average, cities in Iowa cost about 8% less than cities in Texas. Compare cities head-to-head Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Texas to Iowa. incidents per 100,000 people per year incidents per 100,000 people per year Iowa performs significantly better than Texas across all safety metrics. share of people without health insurance share of adults with obesity share of adults with diabetes share of adults who smoke Texas generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iowa leads in uninsured rate. typical price of a home typical monthly gross rent share of homes that are owner-occupied Iowa performs significantly better than Texas across all what about housing? metrics. share of households with internet minutes each way to work Texas generally does better on infrastructure, though Iowa leads in average commute. 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 Texas generally does better on employment & economy, though Iowa leads in unemployment rate. average years of life at birth share of adults with a 4-year college degree Iowa performs significantly better than Texas 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) Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: Yes — Iowa is on average about 9% cheaper than Texas. City-level variation can be significant. Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $17,115 in Iowa on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit). Iowa performs significantly better than Texas across all safety metrics. Texas generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iowa leads in uninsured rate. The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 79°F in Austin. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Austin gets 36.2 in. How Far Will Your Money Go?
Cost of living by city
Key Indicator Comparison
Is it safe?
How's the healthcare?
What about housing?
Will I have good infrastructure?
What are the job prospects?
Is it good for families?
What's the Climate Like?
Months Austin Des Moines Jan–Mar 65°/40°F (18°/5°C) 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) Apr–Jun 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) Jul–Sep 93°/70°F (34°/21°C) 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) Oct–Dec 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) View all months
Month Austin Des Moines Jan 61°/37°F (15.9°/2.9°C) 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) Feb 64°/39°F (17.6°/3.8°C) 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) Mar 71°/45°F (21.6°/7.4°C) 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) Apr 79°/55°F (25.9°/12.8°C) 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) May 85°/64°F (29.7°/17.7°C) 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) Jun 91°/70°F (32.8°/21.0°C) 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) Jul 94°/72°F (34.7°/22.3°C) 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) Aug 96°/72°F (35.4°/22.1°C) 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) Sep 90°/67°F (32.3°/19.2°C) 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) Oct 81°/57°F (27.3°/13.7°C) 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) Nov 71°/47°F (21.4°/8.4°C) 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) Dec 62°/38°F (16.5°/3.4°C) 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) 
National Weather Service Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Iowa than Texas?
How much money do I need to move to Iowa?
Is Iowa safe?
How is healthcare in Iowa compared to Texas?
What's the weather like in Iowa compared to Texas?
