Capital City Comparison
Geography

Illinois vs Iowa: Capital City

Illinois's capital is Springfield and Iowa's capital is Des Moines.

Illinois flag
Illinois
IL • Midwest
Springfield
The official state capital.
Iowa flag
Iowa
IA • Midwest
Des Moines
The official state capital.

Related Context

States at a Glance

Key facts about each state alongside the capital comparison.

Metric
Illinois
Iowa
Population
12,812,508
3,190,369
State Color
Solid Blue
Solid Red
Governor Party
Democratic
Republican
Median Income
$78,433
$70,571
Cost of Living Index
95.2
91.0
Illinois
Springfield
Iowa
Des Moines

People Also Ask

Illinois vs Iowa Capital City — Common Questions

Q What is Illinois's capital city?

Illinois's capital city is Springfield.

Q What is Iowa's capital city?

Iowa's capital city is Des Moines.

More Comparisons: Illinois vs Iowa

Grouped tabs keep the deep-dive links tighter and easier to scan.

Land Area Highest Point Statehood Region
Full Comparison

Explore Each State

Illinois flag Illinois Symbols Iowa flag Iowa Symbols Compare Other States

Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.