City comparison
Deltona, FL vs Des Moines, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Deltona, FL are 8.4% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $108,400 in Deltona, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,385 a month in Deltona, FL versus $1,109 in Des Moines, IA. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Deltona, FL and 18% in Des Moines, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,148 a year higher in Des Moines, IA than in Deltona, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.8% moving from Deltona, FL to Des Moines, IA ($106,437 → $107,301), while prices change by −7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.2% in real buying power.
- Deltona, FL: price level 99.4 (about average)
- 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
| Deltona, FL | Des Moines, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.4 | 91.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,285 in Des Moines | $108,360 in Deltona |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,385/mo | $1,109/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,940 | $51,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA |
Rent areas: Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Deltona | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.4 | 84.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 87.6 | 84.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 92.9 |
| Overall | 99.4 | 91.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Deltona, FL → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
95 Strong offer
Des Moines, IA → Deltona, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
45 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Deltona, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Des Moines, IA is in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Deltona, FL to Des Moines, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Deltona, FL | Des Moines, IA | Real change, Deltona → Des Moines |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,223 | +9.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,284 | +9.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,234 | +9.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,301 | +9.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,797 | +9.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Deltona, FL | Des Moines, IA | Des Moines pay in Deltona dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,770 | $61,650 | $66,804 (+15.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,000 | $126,460 | $137,032 (+12.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,730 | $79,290 | $85,918 (+16.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,180 | $78,630 | $85,203 (+1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.