What it costs to live here, and how good a place it is to live, in plain numbers.
Best place to live rank
#30
30th out of 50 states overall.
Below average for overall quality of life.
How we rank states ›Cost to live here
#20
20th cheapest state, about 9% below average.
To live the way $75,000 affords in an average state, you would need about $68,100 here.
How we measure cost ›Iowa ranks 30th of 50 states for overall quality of life and 20th for affordability. It does best on safety, healthcare, and cost, and struggles most with walkability, climate, and green space. A typical household earns about $71,400 a year, and the cost of living runs about 9% below average.
Our Best Life Rank scores every state on the things that shape daily life, from cost and climate to schools and safety. Here is how Iowa scores on each, best to worst.
Each factor is ranked 1 (best) to 50 (worst) across all states. Green is strong, yellow is middling, red is weak.
Typical household income
$71,400
24th highest
Typical home price
$241,000
46th highest
Overall cost of living
9% below average
20th cheapest
Total taxes on a typical household
About 9%
34th highest income tax
Typical commute
About 20 min
one way
Enter your salary and get your actual paycheck after Iowa taxes.
Calculate my take-home pay ›