Relocation: Des Moines Metro, IA to Houston-Pasadena, TX
Data updated · Sources: HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology
Income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents and EPI living costs for a move from Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX.
Interactive Purchasing Power Equivalency Workbench
Adjust your current salary at origin to dynamically compute the statutory tax burden, housing costs, and discretionary cash in both markets.
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Des Moines-West Des Moines (Monthly) | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,145 | $1,261 | +$116 | +10.1% |
| Food & Groceries | $366 | $321 | -$45 | -12.3% |
| Transportation | $1,091 | $1,015 | -$76 | -7.0% |
| Healthcare | $377 | $422 | +$45 | +11.9% |
| Other Necessities | $410 | $480 | +$70 | +17.1% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $1,997 | $1,735 | -$262 | -13.1% |
HUD Fair Market Rent Differential
EPI Living Wage Benchmark Comparison
Top Local Occupations Wage Parity
BLS median wage comparisons across benchmark roles between both metropolitan labor markets.
| Occupation Title | Industry Sector | Des Moines-West Des Moines Median | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $98,780 | $119,600 | +$20,820 (+21.1%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $78,630 | $99,830 | +$21,200 (+27.0%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $101,150 | $99,510 | -$1,640 (-1.6%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $79,290 | $85,090 | +$5,800 (+7.3%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $126,460 | $129,440 | +$2,980 (+2.4%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $62,840 | $59,180 | -$3,660 (-5.8%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $154,140 | $166,910 | +$12,770 (+8.3%) | View Dossier |
| Industrial Machinery MechanicIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $63,590 | $63,180 | -$410 (-0.6%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $50,850 | $46,630 | -$4,220 (-8.3%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $136,570 | $135,880 | -$690 (-0.5%) | View Dossier |
| Construction ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $103,920 | $103,530 | -$390 (-0.4%) | View Dossier |
| WelderSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $59,980 | $57,940 | -$2,040 (-3.4%) | View Dossier |
Major US Inter-Metro Relocation Corridors
Empirical cost differentials and statutory tax savings across high-volume migration routes.
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $14,388 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $6,211 less tax and $17,676 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,805 less tax and $2,928 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,729 less tax and $19,884 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,113 less tax and $10,908 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $3,761 more tax and $4,188 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,299 less tax and $11,592 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $7,296 less 1BR rent a year
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX Relocation FAQs
About $103,300. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (103.9 in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, 107.4 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs compared. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Des Moines Metro, IA to Houston-Pasadena, TX compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $103,300. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (103.9 in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, 107.4 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 3.3% higher in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX than in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.