Residential comparison · 13 facts
Cedar Rapids, IA vs Des Moines, IA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Cedar Rapids needs about $90,500 in Des Moines to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Des Moines, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $79,500 in Cedar Rapids.
A few differences
- Cedar Rapids is lower on property tax rate (1.5% vs 1.8%).
- Cedar Rapids is lower on sales tax (6.9% vs 7%).
- Cedar Rapids is higher on median household income ($70,424 vs $62,000).
Cedar Rapids vs Des Moines · facet by facet
| Facet | Cedar Rapids, IA | Des Moines, IA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $187,100 | $220,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,036/mo | $1,300/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.5% | 1.8% |
| State & local income tax | 5.3% | 5.3% |
| Sales tax | 6.9% | 7% |
| Cost of living index | 79 | 88 |
| Groceries index | 94 | 94 |
| Utilities | $150/mo | $155/mo |
| Median household income | $70,424 | $62,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 3% | 3% |
| Crime index | 38/100 | 45/100 |
| School rating | 6.5/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 200 days | 204 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Cedar Rapids, IA · Des Moines, IA
Questions & answers
- Is Cedar Rapids cheaper than Des Moines?
- Cedar Rapids has the lower day-to-day cost index (79 vs 88 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Des Moines equals $85,000 in Cedar Rapids?
- A household earning $85,000 in Cedar Rapids needs about $90,500 in Des Moines to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Des Moines lifestyle costs about $79,500 in Cedar Rapids.