Quality of Life Score
56.23
State Comparison
Iowa vs Kansas
Kansas is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Kansas, Iowa has higher incomes, Kansas has lower state income tax, and Kansas gets more sunshine.
Iowa
15
/ 30
metrics won
Score
VS
Tie
Kansas
15
/ 30
metrics won
IA wins Housing
KS wins Quality of Life
KS wins Climate
IA wins Demographics
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
Iowa
winner
vs
Kansas
Iowa scores higher on quality of life — 4.03 points difference.
Overview
Key differences overview
These cards keep the comparison factual first, so the biggest tradeoffs in affordability, housing, taxes, politics, climate, and day-to-day living are easy to scan.
Overall Affordability
Kansas is 0.8 points cheaper overall
Kansas has the lower cost-of-living index. Kansas is at 90.2, while Iowa is at 91.0.
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Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $1.16 further in Kansas
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $113.09 of local buying power in Kansas, versus $111.93 in Iowa.
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Income
Iowa income is 5.4% higher
Iowa has the higher median household income at $70,571, compared with $66,962 in Kansas.
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Jobs
Kansas has the higher minimum wage
Kansas has the higher statewide minimum wage at $7.25/hr, compared with $7.25/hr in Iowa.
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Housing
Kansas homes cost about 1.1x more
Iowa has the lower median home value at $173,300, versus $185,900 in Kansas.
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Taxes
Kansas has lower state income tax
Kansas has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 5.70%, compared with 6.00% in Iowa.
View detailed comparisonTake-Home Calculator
What's Your Salary Really Worth?
Enter your gross income to see real purchasing power and the cost-of-living equivalent in both states.
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Iowa
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 6.0%)
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- After state tax
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- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Kansas
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 5.7%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Cost-of-Living Equivalent
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* "After state tax" uses the top marginal rate — actual effective rate is lower for most incomes. Real buying power uses BEA Regional Price Parity (90.4 for Iowa, 88.9 for Kansas). COL equivalent uses the MERIC/C2ER composite index.
Tradeoffs
Pros and cons for each state
A fast scan of the biggest advantages and drawbacks pulled from affordability, housing, income, taxes, safety, health, education, jobs, and weather.
Iowa
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Iowa
- Iowa has a lower housing cost index.
- Iowa has lower median home values.
- Iowa shows higher median income.
- Iowa has a lower violent crime rate.
- Iowa job growth trend is stronger.
- Iowa health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
Cons
- Iowa has a higher overall cost of living.
- Iowa has higher property tax rates on average.
- Iowa education proxy is lower.
- Iowa has fewer sunny days.
Kansas
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Kansas
- Kansas has a lower overall cost of living.
- Kansas has lower property tax rates on average.
- Kansas education proxy is higher.
- Kansas has more sunny days.
Cons
- Kansas has a higher housing cost index.
- Kansas has higher median home values.
- Kansas shows lower median income.
- Kansas has a higher violent crime rate.
- Kansas job growth trend is weaker.
- Kansas health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
IA
|
KS
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Des Moines | Topeka |
|
State Color
|
Solid Red | Solid Red |
|
Population
|
3,190,369
|
2,937,880
|
|
Median Income
|
$70,571
|
$66,962
|
|
Cost of Living
|
91.0
|
90.2
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$173,300
|
$185,900
|
|
Property Tax
|
1.39%
|
1.29%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
6.00%
|
5.70%
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$7.25/hr
|
$7.25/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$3.482/gal
|
$3.365/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
12.83 c/kWh
|
14.29 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
56.23
|
52.20
|
|
Average Temperature
|
47.8°F
|
54.3°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
105 days
|
128 days
|
|
Land Area
|
56,273 sq mi
|
82,278 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
56.7 per sq mi
|
35.7 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
December 28, 1846 (#29)
|
January 29, 1861 (#34)
|
Intent-Oriented
Which state fits your priorities better?
Use these cards as decision shortcuts for common goals like saving money, buying a home, finding better weather, or optimizing for work and family life.
6
of
18
shown
Saving Money
Kansas is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 90.2 vs 91.0 in Iowa. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
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Gas Price
Kansas is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $3.365/gal in Kansas vs $3.482/gal in Iowa. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
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Electricity Rates
Iowa has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 12.83 c/kWh in Iowa vs 14.29 c/kWh in Kansas. Lower cents-per-kWh pricing can help keep utility bills down.
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Buying a Home
Iowa is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 2.46x in Iowa vs 2.78x in Kansas. A lower ratio means the median home is easier to afford on a median income.
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Renting
Iowa is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 15.5% in Iowa vs 17.7% in Kansas. A lower percentage means rent takes a smaller bite out of a typical household budget.
See full data
Property Tax
Kansas has lower property taxes
Effective property tax rate: 1.29% in Kansas vs 1.39% in Iowa. A lower rate usually means a smaller yearly tax bill relative to home value.
See full dataExplore by Category
Dive Deeper
Each link opens a full one-on-one breakdown for that metric — national rankings, charts, and context.
People Also Ask
Iowa vs Kansas - Common Questions
Q Is Iowa cheaper to live in than Kansas?
Kansas has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Kansas scores 90.2 versus 91.0 for Iowa - a gap of 0.8 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - Iowa or Kansas?
$100 goes further in Kansas. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $113.09 in Kansas, compared with $111.93 in Iowa.
Q Which state is bigger - Iowa or Kansas?
Kansas is larger, covering 82,278 sq mi compared with 56,273 sq mi for Iowa - roughly 1.5x the size.
Q Does Iowa or Kansas have more people?
Iowa has the larger population at 3,190,369, compared with 2,937,880 in Kansas.
Q Which state has higher household income - Iowa or Kansas?
Iowa has the higher median household income at $70,571, versus $66,962 in Kansas.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - Iowa or Kansas?
Kansas has the lower state income tax top rate at 5.70%, compared with 6.00% in Iowa.
Q Is housing cheaper in Iowa or Kansas?
Homes are cheaper in Iowa, where the median home value is $173,300, versus $185,900 in Kansas.
Q Which state is more densely populated - Iowa or Kansas?
Iowa is more densely populated at 56.7 per sq mi people per sq mi. Kansas is more spread out at 35.7 per sq mi people per sq mi.
Related Comparisons
Methodology
All figures are sourced from U.S. government datasets and updated annually. Page last updated: April 2026.
Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and statehood dates from the National Archives. 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. See our editorial policy for how we review and update these pages.