Des Moines, WA

Yes — Des Moines is about 40% more expensive than the national average, with an overall Cost Index of 140. Housing is the biggest factor: the typical home here is valued around $599,579, and monthly rents average roughly $1,727. Day-to-day costs like groceries and utilities tend to run closer to the national norm.

Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $1,727, while local median household income is $89,787. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 23% before utilities and other costs. For a specific job offer, filing status, or take-home pay scenario, use salary.city.

Washington is one of the few states with no state income tax, which can save residents thousands of dollars per year. The effective property tax rate is 0.98%. On a home worth $599,579, that translates to roughly $5,876 per year in property taxes. Sales tax (state + local) averages around 9.23% on everyday purchases.

The typical monthly rent in Des Moines is around $1,727. That's about 28% higher than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $599,579, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.

The median home in Des Moines is valued at $599,579. With 20% down and a 6.5% mortgage rate, you'd be looking at roughly $3,032/month for principal and interest alone — before property taxes and insurance. About 61% of residents here own their homes.

Grocery prices in Des Moines are about average compared to the rest of the US (index: 104, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are about typical (index: 93). Overall, these everyday costs shouldn't cause major surprises if you're moving from another similarly-sized US city.

Des Moines is a smaller city with a population of about 32,545. The median age of residents is 37.5, which is close to the national median. The local poverty rate is 10.69%, near the national average of 12.4%.