Cost of Living: Mason City, 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 Mason City, IA versus $4,184/mo in Des Moines, IA. In the model, rent is about 12.74% of gross in Mason City, IA versus 15.36% in Des Moines, IA, so Mason City, IA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Mason City, IA and Des Moines, IA.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Des Moines, IA
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Mason City, IA
- Lower home prices: Mason City, IA
- Higher median household income: Des Moines, IA
Cost of Living Index
Mason City, IA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Des Moines, IA: 87.6 (U.S. = 100)
Des Moines, IA has a lower cost-of-living index than Mason City, IA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Mason City, IA: $831/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Des Moines, IA: $1,002/mo
Median rent in Des Moines, IA is $171/mo higher than in Mason City, IA.
Median Home Price
Mason City, IA: $130,000 · Des Moines, IA: $183,700
Median home price in Des Moines, IA is $53,700 higher than in Mason City, IA.
Median Household Income
Mason City, IA: $62,369 · Des Moines, IA: $63,966
Des Moines, IA has a higher median household income than Mason City, IA by $1,597.
Mason City, IA overview · Des Moines, IA overview · Popular comparisons