City comparison
Birmingham, AL vs Des Moines, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Birmingham, AL (91.6) and Des Moines, IA (91.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Birmingham, AL goes as far as $100,100 in Des Moines, IA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,155 a month in Birmingham, AL and $1,109 in Des Moines, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,587 a year higher in Birmingham, AL than in Des Moines, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.2% moving from Birmingham, AL to Des Moines, IA ($107,510 → $107,301), while prices change by +0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.3% in real buying power.
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Birmingham, AL | Des Moines, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 91.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,062 in Des Moines | $99,938 in Birmingham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,155/mo | $1,109/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,770 | $51,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA |
Rent areas: Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Birmingham, AL and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Birmingham | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.9 | 84.7 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 83.8 | 84.6 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 92.9 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 91.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Birmingham, AL → Des Moines, IA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,587/yr.
69 Fair offer
Des Moines, IA → Birmingham, AL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,587/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Birmingham, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Des Moines, IA is in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Birmingham, AL to Des Moines, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Birmingham, AL | Des Moines, IA | Real change, Birmingham → Des Moines |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $62,223 | −0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $75,284 | −0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $90,234 | −0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $107,301 | −0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $126,797 | −0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Birmingham, AL | Des Moines, IA | Des Moines pay in Birmingham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,630 | $61,650 | $61,612 (−1.6%) |
| Software Developers | $125,410 | $126,460 | $126,381 (+0.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660 | $79,290 | $79,241 (+0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 | $78,630 | $78,581 (−0.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.