Residential comparison · 13 facts
Des Moines, IA vs Johnston, 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 Des Moines needs about $86,000 in Johnston to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Johnston, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $84,000 in Des Moines.
A few differences
- Johnston is lower on property tax rate (1.5% vs 1.8%).
- Johnston is lower on sales tax (6.9% vs 7%).
- Johnston is higher on median household income ($106,551 vs $62,000).
Des Moines vs Johnston · facet by facet
| Facet | Des Moines, IA | Johnston, IA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $220,000 | $369,100 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,300/mo | $1,364/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.8% | 1.5% |
| State & local income tax | 5.3% | 5.3% |
| Sales tax | 7% | 6.9% |
| Cost of living index | 88 | 93 |
| Groceries index | 94 | 94 |
| Utilities | $155/mo | $150/mo |
| Median household income | $62,000 | $106,551 |
| Unemployment rate | 3% | 3% |
| Crime index | 45/100 | 38/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 204 days | 200 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: Des Moines, IA · Johnston, IA
Questions & answers
- Is Des Moines cheaper than Johnston?
- Des Moines has the lower day-to-day cost index (88 vs 93 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Johnston equals $85,000 in Des Moines?
- A household earning $85,000 in Des Moines needs about $86,000 in Johnston to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Johnston lifestyle costs about $84,000 in Des Moines.