Iowa
R+13 · Moderate tax burden · COL index 88
3.8%
Income Tax
284
Violent Crime / 100K
78
Life Expectancy
$215K
Median Home
$1,100
Childcare / Mo
State Profile
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Get notified when Iowa tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.
Taxes
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Income Tax
Flat 3.8% as of 2025
Property Tax
~$3,053/yr on median home
Sales Tax
Social Security
Pension / IRA
Retirement income fully exempt as of 2023
Estate Tax
Inheritance tax fully phased out 2025
Inheritance Tax
Capital Gains
Housing & Cost of Living
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Cost of Living Index
National avg = 100
Median Home Price
Median Rent (2BR)
Home Insurance
Near national avg (~$1,900/yr)
Flood Insurance
Homestead Exemption
Home equity protected from creditors
Asset Protection
Crime & Safety
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Violent Crime Rate
Near national avg
Property Crime Rate
Near national avg
Traffic Fatality Rate
Healthcare
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State Healthcare Rank
Life Expectancy
Medicaid Expansion
Uninsured Rate
Well below national avg
Education
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K-12 Quality Rank
School Choice / Vouchers
Childcare
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Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)
Utilities & Daily Costs
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Avg Monthly Energy Bill
Avg Monthly Groceries
2-person household, moderate spending
Road Quality Rank
Airports & Travel
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Nonstop Destinations
From state's primary airport
Major Hub Airport
Regional airport — connections via hub
Culture & Lifestyle
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Urban Population
Mix of urban and rural
Restaurant Density
Limited dining options
Religious Congregations
Pro Sports Teams
NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS
Major Venues
Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)
Craft Breweries
2.8/100K residents — Solid scene
Craft Distilleries
Live Music
Iowa City college-town venues; Hinterland Festival (St. Luke's); Des Moines outdoor shows
Transportation
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Car Insurance (Avg Annual)
Traffic Fatality Rate
Broadband Access
Social & Legal
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Abortion Access
6-week ban signed 2023
LGBTQ+ Protections
Marijuana
Minimum Wage
Right to Work
Sports Betting
Casino Gambling
Online Gambling
State Lottery
19+ casinos along river corridors. Sports betting legal since 2019.
Age of Consent
Sex Education
Sex ed required by state
Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs
Iowa Naturists (Des Moines area)
Environment & Climate
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Air Quality (Annual AQI)
Near national avg
Natural Disaster Risk
Primary Hazards
Politics & Gun Laws
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2024 Presidential Vote
Gun Laws
Carry Permit
Purchase Permit Required
Gambling
Hunting & Outdoors
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Iowa consistently produces Boone & Crockett record book whitetails. Private land hunting culture is strong — most access requires landowner permission.
Iowa Department of Natural Resources — Official Season Dates ↗Finding nearby venues...
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Jobs & Economy
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Job Market
+1.1% job growth · 3% unemployment
Top Industries
Tech Jobs
Healthcare Jobs
Remote Work
Median Household Income
Business Climate
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Corporate Income Tax
LLC Formation Fee
LLC Annual Fee
Business Climate Rank
Daily Life
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Gas Price (Regular)
Below avg (-0.22 vs national avg)
Consumer Fireworks
Consumer fireworks legal statewide
Weather & Natural Risks
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Winter Severity
Avg January high: 27°F
Summer Heat
Moderate summers
Annual Rainfall
Tornado Risk
Hurricane Risk
Wildfire Risk
Flood Risk
Natural Hazards
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Venomous Snakes
Spider Hazard
Hurricane Risk
Tornado Risk
Wildfire Risk
Earthquake Risk
Danger score is a composite index. Methodology ↗
Veteran Benefits
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Veteran-Friendly Score
6.3% of state population are veterans
Property Tax Exemption
Disabled vet property tax credit
Military Retirement Pay
Active Duty Pay
VA Facilities Access
Notable Benefits
Explore Iowa counties
Income, housing, poverty, healthcare — ranked by county
See your full cost of living in Iowa
Housing, taxes, childcare, insurance — all estimated.
Compare Similar States
IA vs MI
Iowa vs Michigan
COL 88 vs 88 · 3.8% vs 4.25% income tax
Full comparison →
IA vs OH
Iowa vs Ohio
COL 88 vs 88 · 3.8% vs 3.5% income tax
Full comparison →
IA vs AL
Iowa vs Alabama
COL 88 vs 87 · 3.8% vs 5% income tax
Full comparison →
IA vs IN
Iowa vs Indiana
COL 88 vs 87 · 3.8% vs 3.05% income tax
Full comparison →
Trending in Iowa
Polls: Iowa’s U.S. Senate campaign tight, Sand leads for governor - thegazette.com
thegazette.com · Jul 4
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds Issues Disaster Proclamation for Four Counties - newsradio 1040 who
newsradio 1040 who · Jul 6
Gov. Reynolds issues Disaster Proclamation for four counties following severe weather - KCRG
KCRG · Jul 6
Iowa Down Ballot podcast: SNAP junk food, USDA staff cuts, Iowa polls - Iowa Capital Dispatch
Iowa Capital Dispatch · Jul 4
State News:Economy Shows Strength, Storm Recovery Begins, Doctor Loses License - westerniowatoday.com
westerniowatoday.com · Jul 7
What Residents Say
Cost of Living IL v IA : r/QuadCities
I think average rates are 1.5% in IA vs 2.5% in IL. IA income tax is bracketed and will be higher than IL for most people, which is fixed at ......
reddit.com ↗
Considering moving to Iowa, anything I need to consider?
High property taxes? I moved from Illinois with $12,000 property taxes to Iowa with $5,000 property taxes for similar home....
reddit.com ↗
Is the cost of living in Iowa high? Where would I find this ...
From a statewide perspective, property taxes and vehicle tags are relatively expensive in Iowa. But you don't need to get an annual vehicle inspection....
reddit.com ↗
I had been of the belief that if you did not live in a state ...
UPDATE: 9/30/2024 - For anyone who may more may not be checking on this, I finally received a Notice of Cleared Billing from the Iowa IRS. I've already ......
reddit.com ↗
Moving to Iowa, Had Some Questions : r/IowaCity
Your rent estimation is reasonable. My argument would be to pay around $1200-$1300 a month and you could rent a house or condo....
reddit.com ↗
Moving to Quad Cities : r/QuadCities
FYI, Iowa's income tax will be below Illinois' (flat 4.95%) by TY2025. Comment Image....
reddit.com ↗
Moving from Virginia to Des Moines : r/desmoines
We also pay about $500 every six months in personal property taxes (for cars, etc.), and overall, the cost of living and taxes feel really high ......
reddit.com ↗
Iowa is cheaper, but only on paper.
Iowa taxes are high in total. But that is changing except for property and sales tax. I can only hope someone steps up and stops the madness and ......
reddit.com ↗
Moving back to Iowa?
Originally from SE Iowa. Recently laid off in Bay Area tech. We have a good life in California and the schools in our community are great. However, since ......
reddit.com ↗
How does tax work if I work out of state?
I have a question for someone smarter than I am. If I work in lowa and live in lowa making $18.75/hr, would I make more living in lowa and working in Minnesota ...
reddit.com ↗
Stay Current
Get notified when Iowa tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.
Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.