Moving to Iowa from Virginia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Virginia to Iowa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Virginia to Iowa, you would find that Iowa is 16.9% cheaper than Virginia. A $75,000 salary in Virginia would need to be roughly $57,678 in Iowa to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Des Moines averages 60°F vs 70°F in Richmond, making it significantly cooler. A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Virginia and Iowa. What does your salary buy? $75,000 → $57,678 To maintain the same standard of living in Iowa How key spending categories compare Restaurants pay 12.7% less Groceries pay 24.7% less Transportation pay 18.0% less Housing pay 21.6% less Childcare pay 33.5% less Entertainment and Sports pay 4.3% 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. 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 19% less than cities in Virginia. Compare cities head-to-head The numbers behind daily life in Iowa compared to Virginia. incidents per 100,000 people per year incidents per 100,000 people per year Virginia generally does better on safety, though Iowa leads in property crime rate. share of people without health insurance share of adults with obesity share of adults with diabetes share of adults who smoke Virginia 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 Virginia across all what about housing? metrics. share of households with internet minutes each way to work Virginia 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 Virginia 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 Virginia performs 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) Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: On average Iowa is about 23% less expensive than Virginia, with major cities narrowing the gap. Budget about $14,420 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. Virginia generally does better on safety, though Iowa leads in property crime rate. Virginia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iowa leads in uninsured rate. The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 70°F in Richmond. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Richmond gets 43.6 in. How Far Will Your Money Go?
Cost of living by city
Key Indicator Comparison
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Richmond Des Moines Jan–Mar 53°/32°F (12°/0°C) 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) Apr–Jun 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) Jul–Sep 86°/65°F (30°/19°C) 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) Oct–Dec 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) View all months
Month Richmond Des Moines Jan 47°/28°F (8.6°/-2.1°C) 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) Feb 51°/31°F (10.7°/-0.8°C) 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) Mar 60°/37°F (15.6°/2.8°C) 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) Apr 70°/46°F (21.3°/7.8°C) 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) May 78°/55°F (25.5°/12.8°C) 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) Jun 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.1°C) 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) Jul 90°/69°F (32.1°/20.5°C) 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) Aug 88°/67°F (30.9°/19.7°C) 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) Sep 81°/60°F (27.3°/15.6°C) 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) Oct 71°/48°F (21.7°/9.1°C) 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) Nov 61°/39°F (16.3°/4.1°C) 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) Dec 51°/31°F (10.4°/-0.3°C) 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) 
National Weather Service Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Iowa than Virginia?
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What's the weather like in Iowa compared to Virginia?
