City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Des Moines, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Buffalo, NY are 4.5% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $104,500 in Buffalo, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,139 a month in Buffalo, NY and $1,109 in Des Moines, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,712 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Des Moines, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.6% moving from Buffalo, NY to Des Moines, IA ($111,301 → $107,301), while prices change by −4.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.8% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (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
| Buffalo, NY | Des Moines, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 91.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,677 in Des Moines | $104,518 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $1,109/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $51,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 84.7 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 84.6 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 92.9 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 91.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,712/yr.
83 Strong offer
Des Moines, IA → Buffalo, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,712/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Des Moines, IA is in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Des Moines, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Des Moines, IA | Real change, Buffalo → Des Moines |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $62,223 | +0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $75,284 | +0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $90,234 | +0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $107,301 | +0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $126,797 | +0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Des Moines, IA | Des Moines pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $61,650 | $64,435 (−15.8%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $126,460 | $132,173 (+3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $79,290 | $82,872 (+0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $78,630 | $82,182 (−17.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.