City comparison
Des Moines, IA vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 14.3% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $114,300 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,109 in Des Moines, IA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 18% in Des Moines, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,128 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Des Moines, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.1% moving from Des Moines, IA to Minneapolis, MN ($107,301 → $116,038), while prices change by +14.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.4% in real buying power.
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (much cheaper)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Des Moines, IA | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.7 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,308 in Minneapolis | $87,483 in Des Moines |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,109/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,820 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Des Moines | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.7 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 84.6 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 92.9 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 91.7 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Des Moines, IA → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$2,128/yr.
38 Weak offer
Minneapolis, MN → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$2,128/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Des Moines, IA is in the Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Des Moines, IA to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Des Moines, IA | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Des Moines → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,223 | $67,290 | −5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,284 | $81,415 | −5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,234 | $97,582 | −5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,301 | $116,038 | −5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,797 | $137,123 | −5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Des Moines, IA | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Des Moines dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $79,730 | $69,750 (+13.1%) |
| Software Developers | $126,460 | $130,920 | $114,532 (−9.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $86,500 | $75,672 (−4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,630 | $103,040 | $90,142 (+14.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.