Residential comparison · 13 facts
Johnston, IA vs West 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 Johnston needs about $85,500 in West Des Moines to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from West Des Moines, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $84,500 in Johnston.
A few differences
- Johnston is higher on median household income ($106,551 vs $86,594).
- West Des Moines is lower on cost of living index (88 vs 93).
- West Des Moines is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,239/mo vs $1,364/mo).
Johnston vs West Des Moines · facet by facet
| Facet | Johnston, IA | West Des Moines, IA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $369,100 | $309,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,364/mo | $1,239/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| State & local income tax | 5.3% | 5.3% |
| Sales tax | 6.9% | 6.9% |
| Cost of living index | 93 | 88 |
| Groceries index | 94 | 94 |
| Utilities | $150/mo | $150/mo |
| Median household income | $106,551 | $86,594 |
| Unemployment rate | 3% | 3% |
| Crime index | 38/100 | 38/100 |
| School rating | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 200 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: Johnston, IA · West Des Moines, IA
Questions & answers
- Is Johnston cheaper than West Des Moines?
- West 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 West Des Moines equals $85,000 in Johnston?
- A household earning $85,000 in Johnston needs about $85,500 in West Des Moines to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of West Des Moines lifestyle costs about $84,500 in Johnston.