Des Moines, IA vs. Memphis, TN
Median rent is $1,054 a month in Des Moines, IA and $1,123 in Memphis, TN. Household income is $63,966 against $51,211. Both cities are read from the same ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates and the same BEA Regional Price Parities 2023, so the two columns below are directly comparable.
A green or red badge means the second city is higher or lower, not better or worse: a lower rent is good for a tenant, a lower household income is not. For the price level and
the share of income the raw values are shown, because a percentage difference between two
percentages is easy to misread.
What the gap means
Occupation wages in both metros
May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Metropolitan areas may differ from city boundaries.
| Occupation | Des Moines, IA median | Memphis, TN median | vs. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | $33,430 | $32,580 | -2.5% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $60,720 | $63,070 | +3.9% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $29,140 | $27,490 | -5.7% |
| Registered Nurses | $78,630 | $81,500 | +3.7% |
| Customer Service Representatives | $48,880 | $44,090 | -9.8% |
| General and Operations Managers | $98,780 | $102,510 | +3.8% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $20,410 | $24,550 | +20.3% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $35,000 | $32,580 | -6.9% |
Metropolitan areas and cover every industry together, so the two columns may describe wider areas than the city limits used for rent and income.
Des Moines, IA vs Memphis, TN: frequently asked questions
Is Memphis, TN more expensive than Des Moines, IA?
Overall prices are almost identical: a regional price level of 92.4 in Memphis, TN against 92.7 in Des Moines, IA.
How much do I need to earn in Memphis, TN to keep a $100,000 lifestyle from Des Moines, IA?
About $99,700. Adjusting $100,000 by the BEA regional price levels of the two areas (92.7 in Des Moines, IA, 92.4 in Memphis, TN) gives the salary with the same purchasing power. Taxes and personal spending habits are not included.
Is rent cheaper in Des Moines, IA or Memphis, TN?
The median gross rent is $1,054 a month in Des Moines, IA and $1,123 in Memphis, TN, a difference of $69 a month or $828 a year.
Where are household incomes higher, Des Moines, IA or Memphis, TN?
The median household income is $63,966 in Des Moines, IA and $51,211 in Memphis, TN. Rent takes 19.8% of the median income in Des Moines, IA and 26.3% in Memphis, TN.
What salary do I need to afford the median rent in Memphis, TN?
About $44,900 a year, the gross income that keeps the median rent of $1,123 a month at 30% of income. The same rule gives $42,200 in Des Moines, IA.
More comparisons with Des Moines, IA
Definitions used on this page
- Salary needed for the median rent
- Twelve months of median gross rent divided by 0.30: the income that keeps the median rent at 30% of gross pay.
- Price level
- BEA regional price parity for the metro area where one is published, otherwise for the state. The national average is 100.
- Same standard of living
- A salary in Des Moines, IA converted into Memphis, TN at the ratio of the two price levels. It adjusts for prices only, not for taxes or for what either city offers.
- Buying power
- One hundred divided by the price level: what a dollar buys locally relative to the national average.
Sources
- Census Bureau — ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates
- Census Bureau — ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates
- BEA — BEA Regional Price Parities 2023
Margins of error are published for every Census figure. Read the methodology before reading a small gap between two cities as a real difference.
Full detail for each city: Des Moines, IA · Memphis, TN