Iowa
IA • Midwest
Quality of Life Score
56.23
State Comparison
Iowa vs Nebraska
Iowa is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Iowa, Nebraska has higher incomes, Nebraska has lower state income tax, and Nebraska gets more sunshine.
Iowa
13
/ 30
metrics won
Score
VS
Nebraska
17
/ 30
metrics won
IA wins Housing
NE wins Climate
NE wins Income
IA wins Demographics
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
Iowa
winner
vs
Nebraska
Iowa scores higher on quality of life — 3.34 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
Iowa is 0.7 points cheaper overall
Iowa has the lower cost-of-living index. Iowa is at 91.0, while Nebraska is at 91.7.
View detailed comparison
Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $0.71 further in Iowa
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $111.93 of local buying power in Iowa, versus $111.22 in Nebraska.
View detailed comparison
Income
Nebraska income is 1.7% higher
Nebraska has the higher median household income at $71,772, compared with $70,571 in Iowa.
View detailed comparison
Jobs
Nebraska minimum wage is $7.75 higher
Nebraska has the higher statewide minimum wage at $15.00/hr, compared with $7.25/hr in Iowa.
View detailed comparison
Housing
Nebraska homes cost about 1.2x more
Iowa has the lower median home value at $173,300, versus $211,000 in Nebraska.
View detailed comparison
Taxes
Nebraska has lower state income tax
Nebraska has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 5.84%, 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.
$
$10k$250k$500k
Iowa
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 6.0%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Nebraska
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 5.8%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Cost-of-Living Equivalent
—
* "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, 91.1 for Nebraska). 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 overall cost of living.
- Iowa has a lower housing cost index.
- Iowa has lower median home values.
- Iowa has lower property tax rates on average.
- Iowa has a lower violent crime rate.
- Iowa job growth trend is stronger.
Cons
- Iowa shows lower median income.
- Iowa health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
- Iowa education proxy is lower.
- Iowa has fewer sunny days.
Nebraska
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Nebraska
- Nebraska shows higher median income.
- Nebraska health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
- Nebraska education proxy is higher.
- Nebraska has more sunny days.
Cons
- Nebraska has a higher overall cost of living.
- Nebraska has a higher housing cost index.
- Nebraska has higher median home values.
- Nebraska has higher property tax rates on average.
- Nebraska has a higher violent crime rate.
- Nebraska job growth trend is weaker.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
IA
|
NE
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Des Moines | Lincoln |
|
State Color
|
Solid Red | Solid Red |
|
Population
|
3,190,369
|
1,961,504
|
|
Median Income
|
$70,571
|
$71,772
|
|
Cost of Living
|
91.0
|
91.7
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$173,300
|
$211,000
|
|
Property Tax
|
1.39%
|
1.49%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
6.00%
|
5.84%
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$7.25/hr
|
$15.00/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$3.482/gal
|
$3.482/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
12.83 c/kWh
|
11.76 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
56.23
|
52.89
|
|
Average Temperature
|
47.8°F
|
48.8°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
105 days
|
117 days
|
|
Land Area
|
56,273 sq mi
|
77,358 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
56.7 per sq mi
|
25.4 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
December 28, 1846 (#29)
|
March 1, 1867 (#37)
|
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
16
shown
Saving Money
Iowa is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 91.0 vs 91.7 in Nebraska. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
See full data
Minimum Wage
Nebraska has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $15.00/hr in Nebraska vs $7.25/hr in Iowa. That matters most for hourly, entry-level, and part-time workers.
See full data
Electricity Rates
Nebraska has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 11.76 c/kWh in Nebraska vs 12.83 c/kWh in Iowa. Lower cents-per-kWh pricing can help keep utility bills down.
See full data
Buying a Home
Iowa is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 2.46x in Iowa vs 2.94x in Nebraska. A lower ratio means the median home is easier to afford on a median income.
See full data
Renting
Iowa is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 15.5% in Iowa vs 16.5% in Nebraska. A lower percentage means rent takes a smaller bite out of a typical household budget.
See full data
Property Tax
Iowa has lower property taxes
Effective property tax rate: 1.39% in Iowa vs 1.49% in Nebraska. 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 Nebraska - Common Questions
Q Is Iowa cheaper to live in than Nebraska?
Iowa has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Iowa scores 91.0 versus 91.7 for Nebraska - a gap of 0.7 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - Iowa or Nebraska?
$100 goes further in Iowa. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $111.93 in Iowa, compared with $111.22 in Nebraska.
Q Which state is bigger - Iowa or Nebraska?
Nebraska is larger, covering 77,358 sq mi compared with 56,273 sq mi for Iowa - roughly 1.4x the size.
Q Does Iowa or Nebraska have more people?
Iowa has the larger population at 3,190,369, compared with 1,961,504 in Nebraska.
Q Which state has higher household income - Iowa or Nebraska?
Nebraska has the higher median household income at $71,772, versus $70,571 in Iowa.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - Iowa or Nebraska?
Nebraska has the lower state income tax top rate at 5.84%, compared with 6.00% in Iowa.
Q Is housing cheaper in Iowa or Nebraska?
Homes are cheaper in Iowa, where the median home value is $173,300, versus $211,000 in Nebraska.
Q Which state is more densely populated - Iowa or Nebraska?
Iowa is more densely populated at 56.7 per sq mi people per sq mi. Nebraska is more spread out at 25.4 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.