Cost of Living in Des Moines, WA

An Overview of Cost of Living in Des Moines, WA

Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Des Moines? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Des Moines stands at 135, making it 35% higher than the national average. The cost of living directly affects the affordability of one's desired lifestyle. Knowing the cost of housing, transportation, groceries and other essentials in the new area allows people to gauge whether they can maintain their preferred standard of living.

If affordability is among your top priorities when searching for a new place to live, this area may not be the ideal fit, as the cost of living in Des Moines is among the most expensive in the United States. Just a minority of areas exhibit a cost of living at least 20% higher than the national average, and unfortunately, Des Moines falls into this category, which may not align with your goal of finding a budget-friendly living environment.

Housing costs significantly influence the Des Moines cost of living index, typically accounting for a substantial portion of one's post-tax income. Regrettably, within this particular region, expenses related to both residential ownership and renting exceeded those observed in an average city by 87.7%. This entails elements such as housing and rental prices, mortgage interest rates and insurance costs.

The things you purchase regularly, like clothes, haircuts, movie tickets and gym memberships, can make a big dent in your budget and make up 33% of the cost of living index. Unfortunately in Des Moines, these items will cost you 13% more than what's considered the norm, making it a more expensive place to call home.

The surge in grocery costs is indeed alarming, especially when groceries make up a large portion of your monthly expenditures. Over the past two years, there has been an inflation of over 10% in grocery prices. Unfortunately, Des Moines does not fare better, with grocery expenses coming in at 16% higher than the national average.

Is Des Moines Affordable?

Wondering if Des Moines is affordable? It's a question that often comes up when you're thinking about a new city since affordability can really shape your decisions. The cost of living index (covered earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a part in the affordability equation. In Des Moines, for example, the median home price is 105.4% higher than what folks pay nationally, and monthly rent is 46.5% higher than the usual rates. Plus, income levels matter too, with Des Moines boasting a median household income of $70,268, which is 27% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Des Moines?

Utilities: As with the prices of anything else, utility costs can exhibit significant variations, contingent on factors like climate, energy source availability, geographic location and state regulations. The expenses associated with electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can fluctuate, either upward or downward, depending on the particular city or state. In Des Moines, the utilities index registers 3.3% lower than the national average.

Healthcare: The costs associated with healthcare and insurance premiums can exhibit notable disparities based on the city or state of residence. Access to healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for medical appointments, dental care charges, prescription medication costs and specialized medical care expenses all contribute to variations in the cost of living. In Des Moines, healthcare costs are 15.4% higher than the national average.

Housing: Elevated demand for housing within coveted locales has the propensity to escalate both property values and rental rates, thereby serving as a primary catalyst for an augmented cost of living. Conversely, areas witnessing diminished housing demand, particularly within less desirable environs, often experience an inversely proportional effect, leading to price reductions and subsequently contributing to a more modest cost of living. In Des Moines, the housing index is 87.7% higher than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Des Moines cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.