Moving to Iowa from Wyoming
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Wyoming to Iowa — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Wyoming to Iowa, you would find that Iowa is 8.9% cheaper than Wyoming. A $75,000 salary in Wyoming would need to be roughly $64,695 in Iowa to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Wyoming to Iowa.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $64,695
To maintain the same standard of living in Iowa
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 5.4% less
Groceries
pay 2.4% less
Transportation
pay 16.6% less
Housing
pay 21.8% less
Childcare
pay 13.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.2% 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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Wyoming to Iowa.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Wyoming 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
Wyoming 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 generally does better on what about housing?, though Wyoming leads in homeownership rate.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Wyoming performs better than Iowa across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Wyoming generally does better on employment & economy, though Iowa leads in unemployment rate.
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 Wyoming 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 | Cheyenne | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/20°F (6°/-6°C) | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 65°/40°F (18°/4°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/52°F (26°/11°C) | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/25°F (9°/-4°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Cheyenne | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°/18°F (4.2°/-7.8°C) | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) |
| Feb | 40°/19°F (4.7°/-7.4°C) | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) |
| Mar | 47°/24°F (8.6°/-4.2°C) | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Apr | 55°/31°F (12.7°/-0.7°C) | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) |
| May | 65°/40°F (18.2°/4.6°C) | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) |
| Jun | 75°/49°F (24.1°/9.4°C) | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) |
| Jul | 83°/56°F (28.6°/13.1°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Aug | 81°/54°F (27.3°/12.3°C) | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) |
| Sep | 72°/45°F (22.1°/7.1°C) | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) |
| Oct | 59°/34°F (14.9°/1.1°C) | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) |
| Nov | 47°/24°F (8.1°/-4.3°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) |
| Dec | 38°/17°F (3.4°/-8.2°C) | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Iowa than Wyoming?
Yes — Iowa is on average about 14% cheaper than Wyoming. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Iowa?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $16,174 in Iowa on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is Iowa safe?
Wyoming generally does better on safety, though Iowa leads in property crime rate.
How is healthcare in Iowa compared to Wyoming?
Wyoming generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iowa leads in uninsured rate.
What's the weather like in Iowa compared to Wyoming?
The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 58°F in Cheyenne. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Cheyenne gets 15.9 in.
