City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Des Moines, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 4.1% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $104,100 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $1,109 in Des Moines, IA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 18% in Des Moines, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,181 a year higher in Des Moines, IA than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.4% moving from Columbus, OH to Des Moines, IA ($111,065 → $107,301), while prices change by −3.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.6% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Des Moines, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 91.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,053 in Des Moines | $104,109 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,109/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $51,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 84.7 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 84.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 92.9 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 91.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,181/yr.
82 Strong offer
Des Moines, IA → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,181/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Des Moines, IA is in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Des Moines, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Des Moines, IA | Real change, Columbus → Des Moines |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $62,223 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $75,284 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $90,234 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $107,301 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $126,797 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Des Moines, IA | Des Moines pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $61,650 | $64,183 (−17.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $126,460 | $131,656 (+7.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $79,290 | $82,548 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $78,630 | $81,861 (−2.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.