Des Moines's median home price sits at $225,000, 46% below the $420,000 national median. On a $62,000 median household income, that puts the price-to-income ratio at 3.6x, or 3.6 years of gross pay for the purchase price alone.
Property taxes in Des Moines run 1.48% of assessed value, above the 1.1% national average. On the median home, that's $3,330 a year, or $278 added to the monthly payment.
Between the $1,544/month mortgage payment and Iowa's state income tax, your real housing cost calculation needs your after-tax number, not your gross salary.
Beyond housing, Des Moines's cost of living index sits at 87 (national average = 100), running below the national baseline for groceries, transportation, and everyday services.
Des Moines's median home price runs 15% higher than nearby Cedar Rapids: $195,000 there versus $225,000 here.