Cost of Living: Cedar Rapids, IA vs West Des Moines, IA

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,184/mo in Cedar Rapids, IA versus $4,184/mo in West Des Moines, IA. In the model, rent is about 13.47% of gross in Cedar Rapids, IA versus 17.4% in West Des Moines, IA, so Cedar Rapids, IA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Cedar Rapids, IA
$4,184/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in West Des Moines, IA
$4,184/mo
Income level: below
Rent share (1BR) in Cedar Rapids, IA
13.47%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in West Des Moines, IA
17.4%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Cedar Rapids, IA and West Des Moines, IA.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): West Des Moines, IA
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Cedar Rapids, IA
  • Lower home prices: Cedar Rapids, IA
  • Higher median household income: West Des Moines, IA

Cost of Living Index

Cedar Rapids, IA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · West Des Moines, IA: 100 (U.S. = 100)

Both cities have the same cost-of-living index (U.S. average = 100).

Median Rent

Cedar Rapids, IA: $879/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · West Des Moines, IA: $1,135/mo

Median rent in West Des Moines, IA is $256/mo higher than in Cedar Rapids, IA.

Median Home Price

Cedar Rapids, IA: $177,100 · West Des Moines, IA: $286,300

Median home price in West Des Moines, IA is $109,200 higher than in Cedar Rapids, IA.

Median Household Income

Cedar Rapids, IA: $67,859 · West Des Moines, IA: $84,925

West Des Moines, IA has a higher median household income than Cedar Rapids, IA by $17,066.

Cedar Rapids, IA overview · West Des Moines, IA overview · Popular comparisons