Cost of Living: Marion, IA vs Des Moines, IA

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,184/mo in Marion, IA versus $4,184/mo in Des Moines, IA. In the model, rent is about 14.25% of gross in Marion, IA versus 15.36% in Des Moines, IA, so Marion, IA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Marion, IA
$4,184/mo
Income level: below
Take-home in Des Moines, IA
$4,184/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in Marion, IA
14.25%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Des Moines, IA
15.36%
COLI tier: lower-cost

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Marion, IA and Des Moines, IA.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Des Moines, IA
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Marion, IA
  • Lower home prices: Des Moines, IA
  • Higher median household income: Marion, IA

Cost of Living Index

Marion, IA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Des Moines, IA: 87.6 (U.S. = 100)

Des Moines, IA has a lower cost-of-living index than Marion, IA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Marion, IA: $929/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Des Moines, IA: $1,002/mo

Median rent in Des Moines, IA is $73/mo higher than in Marion, IA.

Median Home Price

Marion, IA: $230,800 · Des Moines, IA: $183,700

Median home price in Marion, IA is $47,100 higher than in Des Moines, IA.

Median Household Income

Marion, IA: $87,105 · Des Moines, IA: $63,966

Marion, IA has a higher median household income than Des Moines, IA by $23,139.

Marion, IA overview · Des Moines, IA overview · Popular comparisons