City comparison
Des Moines, IA vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Des Moines, IA are 4.9% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $104,900 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 $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Des Moines, IA and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,181 a year higher in Des Moines, IA than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.6% moving from Des Moines, IA to Youngstown, OH ($107,301 → $111,138), while prices change by −4.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.7% in real buying power.
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (much cheaper)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (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 | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.7 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,303 in Youngstown | $104,928 in Des Moines |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,109/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,820 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Des Moines | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.7 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 84.6 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 92.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 91.7 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Des Moines, IA → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$1,181/yr.
84 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Des Moines, IA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,181/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Des Moines, IA is in the Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Des Moines, IA to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Des Moines, IA | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Des Moines → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,223 | $64,448 | +8.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,284 | $77,977 | +8.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,234 | $93,461 | +8.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,301 | $111,138 | +8.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,797 | $131,331 | +8.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Des Moines, IA | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Des Moines dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $72,560 | $76,136 (+23.5%) |
| Software Developers | $126,460 | $107,990 | $113,312 (−10.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $73,080 | $76,682 (−3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,630 | $78,680 | $82,558 (+5.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.