City comparison
Austin, TX vs Des Moines, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Austin, TX are 6.9% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $106,900 in Austin, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,562 a month in Austin, TX versus $1,109 in Des Moines, IA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Austin, TX and 18% in Des Moines, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,148 a year higher in Des Moines, IA than in Austin, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.9% moving from Austin, TX to Des Moines, IA ($109,428 → $107,301), while prices change by −6.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.9% in real buying power.
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (about average)
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Austin, TX | Des Moines, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.1 | 91.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,509 in Des Moines | $106,941 in Austin |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,562/mo | $1,109/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,950 | $51,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA |
Rent areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Austin | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.4 | 84.7 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 84.6 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 92.9 |
| Overall | 98.1 | 91.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Austin, TX → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
90 Strong offer
Des Moines, IA → Austin, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Austin, TX is in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX pay area; Des Moines, IA is in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Austin, TX to Des Moines, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Austin, TX | Des Moines, IA | Real change, Austin → Des Moines |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,457 | $62,223 | +4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,777 | $75,284 | +4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,023 | $90,234 | +4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,428 | $107,301 | +4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,311 | $126,797 | +4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Austin, TX | Des Moines, IA | Des Moines pay in Austin dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,270 | $61,650 | $65,929 (+7.6%) |
| Software Developers | $134,120 | $126,460 | $135,238 (+0.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,120 | $79,290 | $84,794 (+2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,890 | $78,630 | $84,088 (−14.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.