City comparison
Boston, MA vs Des Moines, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 18.1% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $118,100 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,109 in Des Moines, IA. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 18% in Des Moines, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,632 a year higher in Boston, MA than in Des Moines, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.0% moving from Boston, MA to Des Moines, IA ($120,548 → $107,301), while prices change by −15.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.1% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much 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
| Boston, MA | Des Moines, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 91.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,700 in Des Moines | $118,064 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,109/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $51,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 84.7 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 84.6 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 92.9 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 91.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,632/yr.
100 Strong offer
Des Moines, IA → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.3%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$1,632/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Des Moines, IA is in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Des Moines, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Des Moines, IA | Real change, Boston → Des Moines |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $62,223 | +5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $75,284 | +5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $90,234 | +5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $107,301 | +5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $126,797 | +5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Des Moines, IA | Des Moines pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $61,650 | $72,787 (−25.8%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $126,460 | $149,304 (−10.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $79,290 | $93,613 (−6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $78,630 | $92,834 (−12.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.