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Living in Iowa · 2026

Is $38,000 enough to live in Iowa?

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

Statewide verdict:Comfortable

Monthly take-home

$2,600

Avg monthly expenses

$1,876

Avg monthly surplus

$724

Savings potential

~28%

After-tax take-home in Iowa

Gross salary$38,000
Federal income tax− $2,454
State income tax− $1,444
Social Security− $2,356
Medicare− $551
Annual take-home$31,195
Effective tax rate17.91%

How $38,000 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

Comfortable
Rent (1BR)
$1,100
Food
$405
Transport
$163
Utilities
$153
Healthcare
$186
Total: $2,007/mo
Surplus: $593/mo
Rent burden: 42.3% — High (35–50%)
Full Des Moines analysis →

Cedar Rapids

COL index: 0.88× national avg

Comfortable
Rent (1BR)
$1,000
Food
$396
Transport
$154
Utilities
$145
Healthcare
$176
Total: $1,871/mo
Surplus: $729/mo
Rent burden: 38.5% — High (35–50%)
Full Cedar Rapids analysis →

Davenport

COL index: 0.87× national avg

Comfortable
Rent (1BR)
$980
Food
$392
Transport
$152
Utilities
$144
Healthcare
$174
Total: $1,842/mo
Surplus: $758/mo
Rent burden: 37.7% — High (35–50%)
Full Davenport analysis →

Sioux City

COL index: 0.83× national avg

Comfortable
Rent (1BR)
$900
Food
$387
Transport
$145
Utilities
$137
Healthcare
$166
Total: $1,735/mo
Surplus: $865/mo
Rent burden: 34.6% — Manageable (25–35%)
Full Sioux City analysis →

Waterloo

COL index: 0.82× national avg

Comfortable
Rent (1BR)
$880
Food
$383
Transport
$144
Utilities
$135
Healthcare
$164
Total: $1,706/mo
Surplus: $894/mo
Rent burden: 33.9% — Manageable (25–35%)
Full Waterloo analysis →

Iowa City

COL index: 0.95× national avg

Comfortable
Rent (1BR)
$1,150
Food
$431
Transport
$166
Utilities
$157
Healthcare
$190
Total: $2,094/mo
Surplus: $506/mo
Rent burden: 44.2% — High (35–50%)
Full Iowa City analysis →

50 / 30 / 20 Budget Planner

Based on your monthly take-home of $2,600 ($31,200/yr)

Needs 50%Wants 30%Savings 20%
Needs50%

$1,300

per month

  • ›Rent / mortgage
  • ›Groceries
  • ›Utilities
  • ›Insurance
  • ›Minimum debt payments
  • ›Transportation
Wants30%

$780

per month

  • ›Dining out
  • ›Streaming services
  • ›Gym
  • ›Hobbies
  • ›Travel
  • ›Shopping
Savings20%

$520

per month

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

Needs / year

$15,600

Wants / year

$9,360

Savings / year

$6,240

Salary Intelligence

Below comfortable level in Des Moines

Rent would consume 42% of take-home income — above the 35% stress threshold. A higher salary or lower-cost housing is needed for financial stability in this city.

Lifestyle score: 5.6/10 (Good)

Lifestyle Assessment

A $38,000 salary comfortably supports a good single lifestyle in Des Moines, Iowa, with approximately $593/month (~23% of take-home) available for savings — meeting or exceeding the recommended 20% savings rate.

Purchasing Power

Des Moines is near the national cost-of-living average (index: 0.93). $38,000 here is roughly equivalent to $75,591 in San Francisco or $35,957 in an affordable city like Birmingham.

State & National Benchmark

$38,000 is 10% 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

-10%

State household median

$72,429

-48%

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)

$38,000 vs. Iowa income benchmarks

Individual median (Iowa)

$42,100

-10% vs. this salary

Household median (Iowa)

$72,429

-48% 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
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Reviewed by

Finance Editor

CPA, 10+ years in personal finance

Data Sources

Data updated monthly using government datasets.