City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Des Moines, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 14.7% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $114,700 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,109 in Des Moines, IA. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 18% in Des Moines, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $543 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Des Moines, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.6% moving from Boulder, CO to Des Moines, IA ($118,675 → $107,301), while prices change by −12.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.7% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Boulder, CO | Des Moines, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 91.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,167 in Des Moines | $114,723 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,109/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $51,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 84.7 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 84.6 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 92.9 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 91.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$543/yr.
100 Strong offer
Des Moines, IA → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.8%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$543/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Des Moines, IA is in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Des Moines, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Des Moines, IA | Real change, Boulder → Des Moines |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $62,223 | +3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $75,284 | +3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $90,234 | +3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $107,301 | +3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $126,797 | +3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Des Moines, IA | Des Moines pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $61,650 | $70,727 (−12.3%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $126,460 | $145,079 (−11.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $79,290 | $90,964 (−9.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $78,630 | $90,207 (−12.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.