City comparison
Des Moines, IA vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 11.8% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $111,800 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,109 in Des Moines, IA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 18% in Des Moines, IA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,148 a year in IA and $3,070 in PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.3% moving from Des Moines, IA to Philadelphia, PA ($107,301 → $117,284), while prices change by +11.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.3% in real buying power.
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (much cheaper)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Des Moines, IA | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.7 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,835 in Philadelphia | $89,417 in Des Moines |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,109/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,820 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Des Moines | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.7 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 84.6 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 92.9 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 91.7 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Des Moines, IA → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$78/yr.
38 Weak offer
Philadelphia, PA → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$78/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Des Moines, IA is in the Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Des Moines, IA to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Des Moines, IA | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Des Moines → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,223 | $68,013 | −2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,284 | $82,289 | −2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,234 | $98,630 | −2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,301 | $117,284 | −2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,797 | $138,595 | −2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Des Moines, IA | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Des Moines dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $78,570 | $70,255 (+14.0%) |
| Software Developers | $126,460 | $133,040 | $118,961 (−5.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $85,990 | $76,890 (−3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,630 | $101,180 | $90,472 (+15.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.