City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Des Moines, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cleveland, OH are 2.4% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $102,400 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,058 a month in Cleveland, OH and $1,109 in Des Moines, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,181 a year higher in Des Moines, IA than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.5% moving from Cleveland, OH to Des Moines, IA ($111,138 → $107,301), while prices change by −2.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.1% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | Des Moines, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 91.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,634 in Des Moines | $102,423 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $1,109/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $51,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 84.7 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 84.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 92.9 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 91.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,181/yr.
76 Strong offer
Des Moines, IA → Cleveland, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,181/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Des Moines, IA is in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Des Moines, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Des Moines, IA | Real change, Cleveland → Des Moines |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $62,223 | −1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $75,284 | −1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $90,234 | −1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $107,301 | −1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $126,797 | −1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Des Moines, IA | Des Moines pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $61,650 | $63,144 (−17.4%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $126,460 | $129,524 (+16.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $79,290 | $81,211 (+1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $78,630 | $80,535 (−4.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.