Moving from Rhode Island to Iowa
Moving to Iowa on the same salary raises your real buying power by 18.2%. Change the salary below to see your own numbers.
Equal salary in IA: $69,700
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $69,700 in Iowa to match $85,000 in Rhode Island ($15,300 less), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary, standard deduction.
These changes cover taxes, housing and electricity. Food, transport, healthcare, other spending and one-time moving costs are excluded. They are not total savings. State medians may differ from your neighborhood and current quotes.
| Tax on $85,000 | Rhode Island | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $9,870 | $9,870 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $6,503 | $6,503 |
| State income tax | $2,571 | $2,578 |
| State payroll programs (UI, disability, paid leave, transit) | $935 | $0 |
| Take-home pay | $65,122 | $66,049 |
Key facts: Rhode Island to Iowa
- Median rent
- $1,418 → $981/mo
- Median home value
- $455,700 → $227,300
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 102.3 → 87.8
- Road distance
- ≈ 1,300 miles
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Above average (78.5 → 62.8 of 100)
What changes when you move to Iowa
- Your state taxes fall by about $927 a year on the same $85,000 salary.
- BEA's housing price index is 38% lower in Iowa. Median rent goes from $1,418 to $981 a month and the median home value from $455,700 to $227,300.
- Homeowners pay less property tax: the median bill is $2,937 in Iowa vs $4,886 in Rhode Island.
- The average home electric bill is $112 a month in Iowa vs $162 in Rhode Island (EIA 2024), about $610 a year less.
- Prices for everyday goods are 4% lower (BEA). The statewide sales tax rate is 6% in Iowa vs 7% in Rhode Island, before local sales taxes.
Who moves from Rhode Island to Iowa
In the latest IRS migration data (2022–2023), 44 households (91 people) filed their taxes in Iowa after filing in Rhode Island the year before. That makes Iowa the #37 destination for people leaving Rhode Island. These households reported an average adjusted gross income of $45,750. Going the other way, 42 households moved from Iowa to Rhode Island, a net gain of 2 households for Iowa.
Five-year trend
Moves from Rhode Island to Iowa reached a five-year high in 2022–23, up 29% from 2018–19.
Source: IRS SOI state-to-state migration files, tax years 2018–19 to 2022–23.
Cost to move from Rhode Island to Iowa
Moving cost: $900–$11,930
Moving about 1,300 miles from Rhode Island to Iowa costs roughly $900 – $11,930, depending on how much of the work you hire out.
Distance between the states' population centers by road (estimate).
| Moving method | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) Truck rental, taxes and fees. Add fuel, damage coverage, lodging and your time. | $900 – $3,910 |
| Moving container You pack and load; the company drives the container. | $1,740 – $4,470 |
| Full-service movers Packing, loading, transport and unloading. | $2,800 – $11,930 |
These ranges are based on summer (peak-season) quotes. A move between October and April usually costs less: peak prices run 20–30% higher.
A rental truck also burns about 130 gallons of fuel over this distance. One-way truck rental prices depend on direction: a truck headed where many people are moving often costs more than the same trip in reverse.
Ranges combine 198 published quote ranges on 22 interstate routes (moveBuddha, retrieved 2026-09-24) with 47 independent published prices from U-Pack, HireAHelper and Move.org, which raised the top of several ranges. They are not quotes; get at least three written estimates.
Alaska and Hawaii ranges come from published carrier rates and moving quotes, dated in each row (Matson's household-goods rates, U-Pack, Royal Hawaiian Movers). See how we estimate.
Shipping a car from Rhode Island to Iowa
Car shipping: $990–$1,460
Shipping a sedan from Rhode Island to Iowa on an open carrier costs about $990–$1,460, typically 3–7 days in transit over about 1,300 miles.
Modeled from 32 published 2026 route prices (SGT Auto Transport 'Ship a Car to Another State' sample routes, SGT Auto Transport cost calculator sample routes) plus published Hawaii and Alaska rates. SUVs cost about 25% more and enclosed carriers about 35% more. Not a quote.
Rhode Island vs Iowa take-home pay at every salary
| Salary | Equal salary in IA | Take-home change | Take-home in RI | Take-home in IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $41,800 | +$560 | $40,547 | $41,107 |
| $75,000 | $62,000 | +$822 | $58,572 | $59,394 |
| $100,000 | $82,400 | +$1,100 | $74,932 | $76,032 |
| $150,000 | $124,000 | +$1,575 | $107,168 | $108,743 |
| $250,000 | $207,100 | +$3,109 | $171,225 | $174,334 |
Single filer, 2026 tax rules, standard deduction. "Equal salary" keeps the same after-tax buying power.
Cost of living: Rhode Island vs Iowa
| Measure | Rhode Island | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 102.3 | 87.8 |
| Housing price index | 105.6 | 65.3 |
| Utilities price index | 146.7 | 83.3 |
| Goods price index | 97.2 | 93.7 |
| Median rent (monthly) | $1,418 | $981 |
| Median home value | $455,700 | $227,300 |
| Median property tax (yearly) | $4,886 | $2,937 |
| Electricity (residential) | 29.23¢/kWh | 15.93¢/kWh |
| State sales tax rate | 7% | 6% |
| Median household income | $83,504 | $75,501 |
Renting and buying: Rhode Island vs Iowa
| Measure | Rhode Island | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Income to rent the median home (30% rule) | $56,720 | $39,240 |
| Monthly cost to own the median home (20% down) | $2,969 | $1,567 |
| Income needed to buy the median home | $127,223 | $67,151 |
| Homeowners insurance (yearly median, homes with a mortgage) | $1,778 | $1,421 |
| Infant child care (center, yearly) | $18,486 | $12,694 |
Mortgage at the Freddie Mac 30-year average with 20% down, plus the median property tax and the median homeowners insurance that owners with a mortgage paid in 2024 (Census ACS). Premiums have risen in most states since then, so get quotes. See buying a home in Iowa for other down payments.
Your yearly budget: Rhode Island vs Iowa
On an $85,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $48,566 a year in Rhode Island and $41,030 in Iowa if you rent: $7,536 less after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $67,172 and $48,060 ($19,112 less).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | RI | IA | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $85,000, single filer | $19,878 | $18,951 | -$927 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,949 | $1,338 | -$611 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,540 | $873 | -$667 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,111 | $2,084 | -$27 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $6,072 | $6,012 | -$60 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $17,016 | $11,772 | -$5,244 |
| Total if you rent | $48,566 | $41,030 | -$7,536 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $28,958 | $14,444 | -$14,514 |
| Property tax median home | $4,886 | $2,937 | -$1,949 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,778 | $1,421 | -$357 |
| Total if you buy | $67,172 | $48,060 | -$19,112 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 state medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $18,486 a year in Rhode Island and $12,694 in Iowa (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Cost of living in Iowa cities: Des Moines.
After you arrive in Iowa
- Iowa new resident checklist: driver license and vehicle registration deadlines.
- Taxes the year you move: part-year returns in Rhode Island and Iowa.
- How Iowa taxes retirement income.
Frequently asked questions
How much salary do I need in Iowa to live like I do in Rhode Island?
An $85,000 salary in Rhode Island works out to about $69,700 in Iowa once 2026 federal and state taxes and BEA regional price levels are counted. At $100,000 it is about $82,400.
Will I pay less tax in Iowa than in Rhode Island?
Yes, about $927 less a year in income and payroll taxes on an $85,000 salary (23.4% of pay in Rhode Island vs 22.3% in Iowa). Property and sales taxes are shown separately.
How much does it cost to move from Rhode Island to Iowa?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 1,300 miles, expect roughly $900–$3,910 with a rental truck, $1,740–$4,470 with a moving container, or $2,800–$11,930 with full-service movers.
Are more people moving from Rhode Island to Iowa?
Moves from Rhode Island to Iowa reached a five-year high in 2022–23, up 29% from 2018–19.
How many people move from Rhode Island to Iowa?
IRS migration data for 2022–2023 show 44 households (91 people) moved from Rhode Island to Iowa, making Iowa the #37 destination for people leaving Rhode Island. 42 households moved the other way.
Is Iowa cheaper than Rhode Island?
Overall prices in Iowa are 14.2% lower than Rhode Island (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $981 vs $1,418 a month.
Compare other moves
Where people from Rhode Island actually move
- RI to Massachusetts 5,218 households
- RI to Florida 2,235 households
- RI to Connecticut 1,769 households
- RI to New York 1,322 households
- RI to California 754 households
- RI to Texas 560 households
- RI to North Carolina 536 households
- RI to Virginia 458 households