Housing and tax tradeoff: Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa comes out ahead here on rent burden and rent. This only compares rent burden, rent, home price, and estimated state tax burden; it is not a total cost-of-living ranking.
Demand-Backed Comparison
Compare Des Moines vs Fort Collins on cost, climate, safety, and daily life
People have logged this comparison 11 times on WhyThere. The cards open full city pages. The charts and matrix below are the fast side-by-side read on housing, climate, walkability, safety, schools, parks, and day-to-day tradeoffs.
Des MoinesFort Collins
What Stands Out
A quick read on this comparison
Deterministic summaries based on the data in view.
Biggest tradeoff: Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa is the sharpest split in this comparison: strong on daily convenience, weaker on safety.
Comparison Matrix
| City | ||
|---|---|---|
| Route | ||
| General Info | ||
| Population | 213,164 | 161,175 |
| Center Elevation | 873 ft(266 m) | 5,003 ft(1,525 m) |
| Housing & Wealth | ||
| Median Home | $203,387 | $547,901 |
| Median Rent | $1,145 | $1,871 |
| Median Income | $62,378 | $78,977 |
| Rent Burden | 22% | 28% |
| Climate & Risks | ||
| Days with 5+ Hours of Sun | 303 days/yr | 340 days/yr |
| Avg. High | 61°F | 62°F |
| Avg. Low | 43°F | 37°F |
| Comfort Score | 47/100Mixed | 39/100Challenging |
| Temp Swing | 55°F | 51°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34"(86 cm) | 14"(36 cm) |
| Annual Snowfall | 23"(58 cm) | 33"(84 cm) |
| Air Quality | Typical: 402024 modeled avg · 1 days > 100 | Typical: 432024 modeled avg · 13 days > 100 |
| Infrastructure & Lifestyle | ||
| Walkability | 45 | 37 |
| Transit Score | 30 | 28 |
| Safety Score | 65 / 100 | 71 / 100 |
| School Rating | 5.3/10 | 7.2/10 |
| Flood Risk (FEMA) | minimalMinimal Risk | minimalMinimal Risk |
| Central Tract Wildfire Risk | unknownNo Data | unknownNo Data |
| Internet Access | Fiber: 29%Cable: 99% | Fiber: 62%Cable: 93% |
| Demographics | ||
| Median Age | 34.4 years | 30.1 years |
| College Educated | 29% | 58% |
| Remote Workers | 10% | 18% |
| Nature Access | ||
| Local Nature & Reserves | Finding... | Finding... |
| Scouting & Local Help | ||
Housing and local helpA practical next step once someone starts picturing the move. | Featured Local Partner ADRealtor Realtor spot available For an agent, brokerage, or relocation team that can answer housing questions in Des Moines. One featured slot per city | Featured Local Partner ADRealtor Realtor spot available For an agent, brokerage, or relocation team that can answer housing questions in Fort Collins. One featured slot per city |
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