City comparison
Des Moines, IA is about 100 miles (175 km) from Iowa City, IA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 125 miles, or about 2 h 15 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Des Moines, IA to Iowa City, IA takes about 13 min, covering roughly 100 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Des Moines has a population of 213,164, vs 74,878 in Iowa City — about 2.8× larger by population. By land area, Des Moines covers about 88 sq mi vs 26 sq mi for Iowa City.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Des Moines | Iowa City | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $995/mo | $1,077/mo | 8.2% higher in Iowa City |
| Median home value | $170,700 | $256,600 | 50.3% higher in Iowa City |
| Median household income | $62,378 | $54,879 | 13.7% higher in Des Moines |
| Groceries index | 94.0 | 94.0 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 85.2 | 84.4 | 1.0% higher in Des Moines |
| Transportation index | 93.3 | 93.3 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 93.5 | 93.5 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Des Moines, you'd need $99,865 in Iowa City to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Des Moines and Iowa City have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Des Moines, you'd need about $79,892 in Iowa City to keep the same standard of living.