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 Saint Paul vs Des Moines on cost, climate, safety, and daily life
People have logged this comparison 8 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.
Saint PaulDes Moines
What Stands Out
A quick read on this comparison
Deterministic summaries based on the data in view.
Potential dealbreaker: Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota needs a closer look before you get too attached, especially on tax burden.
Comparison Matrix
| City | ||
|---|---|---|
| Route | ||
| General Info | ||
| Population | 308,806 | 213,164 |
| Center Elevation | 794 ft(242 m) | 873 ft(266 m) |
| Housing & Wealth | ||
| Median Home | $283,508 | $203,387 |
| Median Rent | $1,504 | $1,145 |
| Median Income | $69,919 | $62,378 |
| Rent Burden | 26% | 22% |
| Climate & Risks | ||
| Days with 5+ Hours of Sun | 287 days/yr | 303 days/yr |
| Avg. High | 56°F | 61°F |
| Avg. Low | 38°F | 43°F |
| Comfort Score | 34/100Challenging | 47/100Mixed |
| Temp Swing | 58°F | 55°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36"(91 cm) | 34"(86 cm) |
| Annual Snowfall | 38"(97 cm) | 23"(58 cm) |
| Air Quality | Typical: 412024 modeled avg · 0 days > 100 | Typical: 402024 modeled avg · 1 days > 100 |
| Infrastructure & Lifestyle | ||
| Walkability | N/A | 45 |
| Transit Score | N/A | 30 |
| Safety Score | N/A | 65 / 100 |
| School Rating | 4.8/10 | 5.3/10 |
| Flood Risk (FEMA) | minimalMinimal Risk | minimalMinimal Risk |
| Central Tract Wildfire Risk | unknownNo Data | unknownNo Data |
| Internet Access | Fiber: 28%Cable: 99% | Fiber: 29%Cable: 99% |
| Demographics | ||
| Median Age | 33.1 years | 34.4 years |
| College Educated | 43% | 29% |
| Remote Workers | 15% | 10% |
| 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 Saint Paul. 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 Des Moines. One featured slot per city |
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