City comparison
Des Moines, IA vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Des Moines, IA are 2.3% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $102,300 in Des Moines, IA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,109 a month in Des Moines, IA versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Des Moines, IA and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,587 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Des Moines, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.8% moving from Des Moines, IA to Montgomery, AL ($107,301 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.4% in real buying power.
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (much cheaper)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Des Moines, IA | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.7 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,798 in Montgomery | $102,251 in Des Moines |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,109/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,820 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Des Moines | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.7 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 84.6 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 92.9 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 91.7 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Des Moines, IA → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,587/yr.
76 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Des Moines, IA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,587/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Des Moines, IA is in the Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA pay area; Montgomery, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Des Moines, IA to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Des Moines, IA | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Des Moines → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,223 | $61,722 | +1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,284 | $74,678 | +1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,234 | $89,508 | +1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,301 | $106,437 | +1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,797 | $125,776 | +1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Des Moines, IA | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Des Moines dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $59,610 | $60,952 (−1.1%) |
| Software Developers | $126,460 | $110,620 | $113,110 (−10.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $75,040 | $76,729 (−3.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,630 | $79,570 | $81,361 (+3.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.