Route comparison
Milwaukee, WI vs Des Moines, IA: Cost of Living
Compare the cost of living between Milwaukee, WI and Des Moines, IA. See the equivalent salary and median rent powered by BLS Regional Price Parities.
Milwaukee, WI
WI
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 94.9
- Housing RPP
- 95.7
- Goods RPP
- 91.7
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,170/mo
Wisconsin income tax 3.54%-7.65%.
Des Moines, IA
IA
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 92.1
- Housing RPP
- 87.5
- Goods RPP
- 93.3
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,080/mo
Iowa income tax 4.4%-6.0%.
Equivalent salary
Des Moines, IA is cheaper than Milwaukee, WI by about 3.0% (RPP 94.9 to 92.1).
$60,000 in Milwaukee, WI
-> $58,230
in Des Moines, IA
$100,000 in Milwaukee, WI
-> $97,050
in Des Moines, IA
$150,000 in Milwaukee, WI
-> $145,574
in Des Moines, IA
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
Migration signal: Milwaukee, WI vs Des Moines, IA
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Milwaukee, WI
- Net people
- −6,427
- Net rank
- #45 of 65
- Top origin share
- 4%
- Top destination share
- 4%
Largest source: Racine County, WI. Largest destination: Racine County, WI.
Des Moines, IA
- Net people
- +488
- Net rank
- #27 of 65
- Top origin share
- 4%
- Top destination share
- 3%
Largest source: Story County, IA. Largest destination: Story County, IA.
Rent delta: Des Moines, IA is $90/mo lower for HUD FY2024 2-BR FMR than Milwaukee, WI. Housing RPP moves from 95.7 to 87.5.
Migration figures are derived from IRS SOI county-to-county migration data for 2021-2022, mapped to metros via Census CBSA delineation. Small county-to-county flows are IRS-suppressed, so per-metro totals are lower bounds. Source: IRS SOI migration data.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Des Moines, IA cheaper or more expensive than Milwaukee, WI?
- Des Moines, IA (RPP 92.1) is cheaper than Milwaukee, WI (RPP 94.9) by about 3.0%.
- What salary do I need in Des Moines, IA if I earn $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI?
- You would need approximately $97,050 in Des Moines, IA to maintain the same purchasing power as $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI. Formula: $100,000 x (92.1 / 94.9).
- Which metro had stronger net migration, Milwaukee, WI or Des Moines, IA?
- For 2021-2022, Milwaukee, WI had a net loss of 6,427 people, while Des Moines, IA had a net gain of 488 people. IRS small-flow suppression means these are lower-bound research signals, not complete population-change totals.