Interstate Relocation: Iowa → Texas

Moving from Iowa to Texas: Cost & Tax Comparison

Compare state income tax savings, HUD rent differentials, and household purchasing power adjustments when relocating from Iowa to Texas.

Data updated · Sources: HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Effective Tax Rate Change -3.1 pts TX vs IA, $100k single
Annual Tax Savings +$3,148 Federal + FICA + state, $100k
1BR Rent Change +20.4% Avg 1BR $1,035 vs $859/mo
Net Annual Difference +$1,046 Tax savings + 1BR rent savings

What changes when you move from Iowa to Texas

Iowa has a flat 3.8% income tax and Texas has no state income tax on wages. On a $100,000 salary a single filer pays $3,148 in state income tax in Iowa and $0 in state income tax in Texas. With federal income tax and FICA unchanged, total tax falls by $3,148 a year after the move. HUD's one-bedroom Fair Market Rent averages $859 a month across Iowa's metro areas and $1,035 across Texas's (+20.4%). Pay differs too: the BLS median wage across all occupations, weighted by employment in each state's metros, is $49,899 in Iowa and $49,204 in Texas. City and county income taxes, which some localities add, are not included in these state-level figures; the metro routes below include them.

Origin State: Iowa

Iowa Paycheck & Living Costs

Destination State: Texas

Texas Paycheck & Living Costs

Metropolitan Corridors Between Iowa & Texas

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA → Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX On $100k: $3,148 less tax and $1,392 more 1BR rent a year
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Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA → Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX On $100k: $3,148 less tax and $4,692 more 1BR rent a year
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Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL → Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX On $100k: $3,148 less tax and $8,208 more 1BR rent a year
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Moving from Iowa to Texas: Cost & Tax Comparison Overview

Moving from Iowa to Texas on a $100,000 salary: pay $3,148 less in total taxes per year; average one-bedroom rent is $1,035 vs $859 a month (HUD FMR).

Quick answers
How much money will I save moving from Iowa to Texas?

For a single filer earning $100,000 with no local income tax, total federal, FICA and state taxes are $3,148 lower in Texas than in Iowa (3.1 percentage points of gross pay). The average HUD one-bedroom Fair Market Rent across Texas's metros is $1,035 a month, versus $859 in Iowa (+20.4%). Taxes and one-bedroom rent combined change by +$1,046 a year.

What are the key tax differences between Iowa and Texas?

Iowa: Flat Tax, top rate 3.8%. Texas: No State Income Tax, top rate 0%. Federal income tax and FICA are the same in both states.