City comparison
Des Moines, IA vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 3.2% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $103,200 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,109 a month in Des Moines, IA and $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,148 a year in IA and $3,070 in PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.6% moving from Des Moines, IA to Pittsburgh, PA ($107,301 → $110,047), while prices change by +3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.7% in real buying power.
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (much cheaper)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Des Moines, IA | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.7 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,239 in Pittsburgh | $96,863 in Des Moines |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,109/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,820 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Des Moines | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.7 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 84.6 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 92.9 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 91.7 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Des Moines, IA → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$78/yr.
59 Fair offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$78/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Des Moines, IA is in the Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Des Moines, IA to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Des Moines, IA | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Des Moines → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,223 | $63,815 | −0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,284 | $77,211 | −0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,234 | $92,543 | −0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,301 | $110,047 | −0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,797 | $130,042 | −0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Des Moines, IA | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Des Moines dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $76,550 | $74,148 (+20.3%) |
| Software Developers | $126,460 | $124,500 | $120,594 (−4.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $76,940 | $74,526 (−6.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,630 | $82,370 | $79,786 (+1.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.