City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Des Moines, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 13.0% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $113,000 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $1,109 in Des Moines, IA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 18% in Des Moines, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,657 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Des Moines, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.8% moving from Chicago, IL to Des Moines, IA ($118,984 → $107,301), while prices change by −11.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.9% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (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
| Chicago, IL | Des Moines, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 91.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,519 in Des Moines | $112,970 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,109/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $51,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 84.7 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 84.6 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 92.9 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 91.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,657/yr.
100 Strong offer
Des Moines, IA → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,657/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Des Moines, IA is in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Des Moines, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Des Moines, IA | Real change, Chicago → Des Moines |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $62,223 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $75,284 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $90,234 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $107,301 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $126,797 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Des Moines, IA | Des Moines pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $61,650 | $69,646 (−11.2%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $126,460 | $142,862 (+6.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $79,290 | $89,574 (+8.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $78,630 | $88,829 (−11.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.