Is $26,000 a good salary in Iowa?

$26,000 in Iowa provides a monthly take-home of approximately $1,831 after taxes. Across major Iowa cities, this salary is rated very tight, with an average monthly surplus of $-45.

What is the cost of living on $26,000 in Iowa?

The average monthly living cost across major Iowa cities is approximately $1,876 for a single adult (rent, food, transport, utilities, healthcare). On $26,000 take-home pay of $1,831/month, you would have roughly $-45/month remaining.

Living in Iowa · 2026

Is $26,000 enough to live in Iowa?

Single adult · IA · 2026 tax brackets · Real cost-of-living data

Statewide verdict:Very tight

Monthly take-home

$1,831

Avg monthly expenses

$1,876

Avg monthly surplus

$-45

Savings potential

~0%

After-tax take-home in Iowa

Gross salary$26,000

Federal income tax− $1,050

State income tax− $988

Social Security− $1,612

Medicare− $377

Annual take-home$21,973

Effective tax rate15.49%

How $26,000 feels in Iowa cities

Rent: HUD FMR 2026 · Food: USDA Low-Cost Plan × COL · Transport/Utilities/Healthcare: BLS CES × COL

Des Moines

COL index: 0.93× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,100

Food

$405

Transport

$163

Utilities

$153

Healthcare

$186

Total: $2,007/mo

Surplus: $-176/mo

Rent burden: 60.1% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Des Moines analysis →

Cedar Rapids

COL index: 0.88× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,000

Food

$396

Transport

$154

Utilities

$145

Healthcare

$176

Total: $1,871/mo

Surplus: $-40/mo

Rent burden: 54.6% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Cedar Rapids analysis →

Davenport

COL index: 0.87× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$980

Food

$392

Transport

$152

Utilities

$144

Healthcare

$174

Total: $1,842/mo

Surplus: $-11/mo

Rent burden: 53.5% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Davenport analysis →

Sioux City

COL index: 0.83× national avg

Manageable

Rent (1BR)

$900

Food

$387

Transport

$145

Utilities

$137

Healthcare

$166

Total: $1,735/mo

Surplus: $96/mo

Rent burden: 49.2% — High (35–50%)

Full Sioux City analysis →

Waterloo

COL index: 0.82× national avg

Manageable

Rent (1BR)

$880

Food

$383

Transport

$144

Utilities

$135

Healthcare

$164

Total: $1,706/mo

Surplus: $125/mo

Rent burden: 48.1% — High (35–50%)

Full Waterloo analysis →

Iowa City

COL index: 0.95× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,150

Food

$431

Transport

$166

Utilities

$157

Healthcare

$190

Total: $2,094/mo

Surplus: $-263/mo

Rent burden: 62.8% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Iowa City analysis →

50 / 30 / 20 Budget Planner

Based on your monthly take-home of $1,831 ($21,972/yr)

Needs 50%Wants 30%Savings 20%

Needs50%

$916

per month

›Rent / mortgage
›Groceries
›Utilities
›Insurance
›Minimum debt payments
›Transportation

Wants30%

$549

per month

›Dining out
›Streaming services
›Gym
›Hobbies
›Travel
›Shopping

Savings20%

$366

per month

›Emergency fund
›401(k) / IRA
›Investments
›Down payment fund
›Debt payoff (extra)

Needs / year

$10,986

Wants / year

$6,592

Savings / year

$4,394

Salary Intelligence

Financial pressure in Des Moines

Rent alone would take 60% of take-home income. This salary creates significant financial pressure in this city — a $44,000 annual income or lower rent is needed to reach affordability.

Lifestyle score: 2.1/10 (Difficult)

Lifestyle Assessment

A $26,000 salary does not fully cover typical living expenses for a single adult in Des Moines, Iowa. Monthly costs exceed take-home pay by $176, indicating this income is insufficient for an independent lifestyle here without additional income or reduced spending.

Purchasing Power

Des Moines is near the national cost-of-living average (index: 0.93). $26,000 here is roughly equivalent to $51,720 in San Francisco or $24,602 in an affordable city like Birmingham.

State & National Benchmark

$26,000 is 38% below the Iowa individual median of $42,100. Consider negotiating a higher salary or exploring higher-paying roles in this state.

State individual median

$42,100

-38%

State household median

$72,429

-64%

Tax reduction strategies

Maximize 401(k) Contributions — Up to $5,170 in federal tax (22% bracket)

Contribute to a Traditional IRA — Up to $1,540 in federal tax (22% bracket)

$26,000 vs. Iowa income benchmarks

Individual median (Iowa)

$42,100

-38% vs. this salary

Household median (Iowa)

$72,429

-64% vs. this salary

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 2023

Related salary insights

Explore other salary levels in Iowa

$40,000 $60,000 $100,000 $150,000 $200,000 $300,000

Reviewed by

Finance Editor

CPA, 10+ years in personal finance

Data Sources

•Tax calculations: IRS federal tax tables
•Rent data: HUD Fair Market Rents
•Cost-of-living index: C2ER / ACCRA Cost of Living Index

Data updated monthly using government datasets.