City comparison
Des Moines, IA vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 5.7% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $105,700 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,109 a month in Des Moines, IA and $1,081 in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $857 a year higher in Des Moines, IA than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.1% moving from Des Moines, IA to Tucson, AZ ($107,301 → $108,455), while prices change by +5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.3% in real buying power.
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (much cheaper)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Des Moines, IA | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.7 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,665 in Tucson | $94,639 in Des Moines |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,109/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,820 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Des Moines | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.7 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 84.6 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 92.9 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 91.7 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Des Moines, IA → Tucson, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$857/yr.
52 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$857/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Des Moines, IA is in the Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Des Moines, IA to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Des Moines, IA | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Des Moines → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,223 | $62,893 | −4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,284 | $76,095 | −4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,234 | $91,205 | −4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,301 | $108,455 | −4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,797 | $128,162 | −4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Des Moines, IA | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Des Moines dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $47,220 | $44,688 (−27.5%) |
| Software Developers | $126,460 | $123,710 | $117,077 (−7.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $76,320 | $72,228 (−8.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,630 | $94,110 | $89,064 (+13.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.