Cost of Living in Iowa
What it costs to live in Iowa, how much tax you'll pay, and what common jobs keep after rent and everyday costs.
- Population
- 3,241,488
- Median household income
- $75,501
- State income tax
- Flat 3.8%
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 87.8
What a typical paycheck keeps in Iowa
The typical Iowa worker earns $48,540 (BLS). After taxes, a statewide 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs, $12,696 is left. Pick a city for local rents and pay.
- Typical salary
- $48,540
- Federal income tax
- −$3,645
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,713
- State income tax
- −$1,193
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$10,824
- Everyday costs
- −$16,469
a year, or $1,058 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS statewide median. Rent: HUD FY2027, population-weighted across Iowa.
Cost of living in Iowa
Prices across Iowa run 12% below the US average (BEA, 2024).
- Housing35% below the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)6% below the US average
- Utilities17% below the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)7% below the US average
- All items12% below the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $902 | $10,824 |
| Food | $463 | $5,556 |
| Transportation | $366 | $4,392 |
| Healthcare | $327 | $3,924 |
| Utilities | $217 | $2,604 |
| Total before taxes | $2,275 | $27,300 |
Rent is the statewide average of county fair market rents, weighted by population. City rents differ.
Iowa taxes
State income tax, single filer (2026)
| Taxable income over | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 | 3.8% |
Iowa starts from federal taxable income. School district surtaxes are not modelled.
Taxes on the median household income
$75,501 of wages, one single filer (Census 2024 median).
| Federal income tax | −$7,780 |
| Payroll taxes | −$5,776 |
| State income tax | −$2,217 |
| Effective tax rate | 20.9% |
Cities in Iowa
What a typical worker keeps after taxes, rent and everyday costs in each Iowa city we cover.
What common jobs keep in Iowa
The 15 jobs that keep the most: statewide median pay, and what's left after taxes, a statewide 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Dentist | $181,520 | $101,796 |
| Pharmacist | $138,860 | $74,259 |
| Physician assistant | $134,770 | $71,619 |
| Nurse practitioner | $130,160 | $68,644 |
| Veterinarian | $124,610 | $65,061 |
| Lawyer | $123,550 | $64,376 |
| Software engineer | $114,890 | $58,648 |
| Lineman | $100,200 | $48,872 |
| Mechanical engineer | $97,700 | $47,208 |
| Physical therapist | $97,560 | $47,116 |
| Project manager | $96,540 | $46,436 |
| Civil engineer | $96,430 | $46,362 |
| Data scientist | $95,830 | $45,963 |
| Financial analyst | $92,370 | $43,662 |
| Occupational therapist | $89,910 | $42,024 |
Salary pages in Iowa, A–Z
Pay range, what’s kept and the best cities for each job.
- Accountant
- Auto mechanic
- Carpenter
- Civil engineer
- Data scientist
- Dental assistant
- Dental hygienist
- Dentist
- Diesel mechanic
- Electrician
- Financial analyst
- Firefighter
- HVAC technician
- Lawyer
- Licensed practical nurse
- Lineman
- Mechanical engineer
- Medical assistant
- Nurse practitioner
- Nursing assistant
- Occupational therapist
- Paralegal
- Paramedic
- Pharmacist
- Pharmacy technician
- Physical therapist
- Physician assistant
- Plumber
- Police officer
- Project manager
- Radiologic technologist
- Registered nurse
- Respiratory therapist
- Social worker
- Software engineer
- Speech-language pathologist
- Teacher
- Truck driver
- Veterinarian
- Welder
Top-paying jobs in Iowa
Median pay, jobs with at least 1,000 workers (BLS OEWS). Linked jobs have a salary page.
| Job | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | $295,190 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $265,200 |
| Chief Executives | $211,190 |
| Dentists, General | $181,520 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $147,320 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $143,780 |
| Pharmacists | $138,860 |
| Physician Assistants | $134,770 |
| Sales Managers | $134,010 |
| Financial Managers | $133,320 |
| Marketing Managers | $131,120 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $130,160 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $128,490 |
| Managers, All Other | $128,080 |
| Human Resources Managers | $126,370 |
Living in Iowa
Iowa against the US (Census Bureau, ACS 2024).
| Measure | Iowa | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $227,300 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $981 | $1,487 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 32.1% | 36.9% |
| Average commute, one way | 20.4 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 9.9% | 13.3% |
Nearby states
Compare Iowa with another state or city: what a job keeps in each, side by side.
Questions people ask
What is the cost of living in Iowa?
Prices in Iowa are 12% below the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). The statewide fair market rent for a 1-bedroom is $902 a month (HUD, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person come to about $1,372 a month.
Does Iowa have a state income tax?
Yes. Iowa's income tax rate is flat 3.8%. On a typical wage of $48,540, a single filer pays about $1,193 a year in state income tax.
How much do you need to earn to live in Iowa?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom at the statewide fair market rent needs about $32,000 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs. The typical worker in Iowa earns $48,540 and keeps $12,696 after those costs.
Where in Iowa does a paycheck go furthest?
Of the Iowa cities we cover, a typical worker keeps the most in Des Moines ($13,139 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs) and the least in Davenport ($12,768).
What jobs pay the most in Iowa?
Among jobs with at least 1,000 workers, the highest median pay in Iowa goes to Physicians, All Other ($295,190); Family Medicine Physicians ($265,200); Chief Executives ($211,190) (BLS OEWS).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
- HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by state, 2024
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate