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Iowa

Moderate tax burden · COL index 88

Wins 7 categories

VS

Idaho

Moderate tax burden · COL index 96

Wins 5 categories

Idaho's top income tax rate is 5.8% vs Iowa's 3.8%. Property taxes are meaningfully different: Iowa averages 1.42% annually vs Idaho's 0.48%. The median home in Idaho costs $425K vs $215K in Iowa.

Iowa
Idaho

Taxes

3.8%
Income Tax (top rate)
5.8%
1.42%/yr
Property Tax Rate
0.48%/yr
6.94%
Sales Tax (avg)
6.02%
Yes
Social Security Tax
Yes
Yes
Estate Tax
Yes
As income
Capital Gains Tax
As income

Housing & Cost of Living

88
COL Index (100=avg)
96
$215K
Median Home Price
$425K
$1,050/mo
Median Rent (2BR/mo)
$1,500/mo
$2K/yr
Home Insurance (avg/yr)
$800/yr

Crime & Safety

284
Violent Crime / 100K
228
1,626
Property Crime / 100K
1,535

Healthcare

#21 of 50
Healthcare Quality Rank
#32 of 50
78 yrs
Life Expectancy
77.7 yrs
5.8%
Uninsured Rate
9%
Yes
Medicaid Expansion
Yes

Education

#15 of 50
K-12 Quality Rank
#30 of 50
Yes
School Choice / Vouchers
No

Childcare

$1,100/mo
Avg Infant Care / mo
$960/mo

Utilities & Daily Costs

$135/mo
Avg Energy Bill / mo
$105/mo
$440/mo
Avg Groceries / mo
$480/mo
#8 of 50
Road Quality Rank
#20 of 50

Social Policy

F
Gun Laws Grade
F
R+13.0
2024 Presidential Margin
R+30.0

Category wins

7

Iowa

5

Idaho

Run the full slider tool to score these states against your specific income, home value, retirement, and lifestyle priorities.

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People Also Ask

What are the drawbacks of living in Idaho?

Wildfires is one of the scariest cons of living in Idaho. In fact, Idaho is the fifth worst state for wildfires. Every summer it's only a matter of time before they start burning somewhere in the state. Sadly it's a when, not an if type of situation and then the question is how bad and how close to me?

Is moving to Iowa a good idea?

Quality of Life and Community Feel. Many who consider moving to Iowa talk about lifestyle benefits they cannot easily quantify. Smaller cities and tight-knit towns in Iowa are known for their friendly communities, family-oriented culture, and strong public schools.

Where are most people moving to Idaho from?

Meanwhile, Idaho drew most of its movers from Washington state (25%), California, (21%), and Utah (7%). "We are seeing buyers relocate from a wide range of states and for a variety of reasons," says Boise, ID, real estate agent Lysi Bishop, a top producer in the region who specializes in high-end properties.

What salary do you need to live in Idaho?

Typical Expenses

Full Iowa Profile →Full Idaho Profile →

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Annual Income

$150K
$0$500K$5M+

Retirement Savings

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Social Security

None
None$150K/yr

My Property Is Worth

$400K
Tax burden ↓$1M$50M+

Home Buying Budget

$400K
Hard to find$250K$5M+

Monthly Rent Budget

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Don't care$10K/mo

Job Market

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Airport Access

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City vs Country

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Sunshine

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Food Scene

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Political Preference

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Gun Laws

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Gun Control2A Freedom

Abortion Access

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Community

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Sports & Entertainment

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Don't careMust have pro teams

Cannabis Laws

Neutral
Prefer LegalNeutralPrefer Prohibition

Retiree Community

Neutral
Young areaRetirement-heavy

Dating Market

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Singles sceneFamily community