HEAD TO HEAD
Cedar Rapids vs Des Moines
Des Moines leads Cedar Rapids on 3 of 5 factors — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
Cedar Rapids, IA
wins 2 of 5 factors
Des Moines, IA
wins 3 of 5 factors
Match scores, side by side
| Factor | Cedar Rapids | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Affordable to buy | 91 ◆ | 87 |
| Affordable to rent | 86 ◆ | 84 |
| Climate comfort | 38 | 43 ◆ |
| Plenty of sunshine | 41 | 45 ◆ |
| Big-city amenities | 57 | 80 ◆ |
By the numbers
| Figure | Cedar Rapids | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $244K | $296K |
| Typical rent | $1,234/mo | $1,293/mo |
| Average temperature | 9.4°C | 10.2°C |
| Sunshine (solar) | 3.96 kWh/m²/day | 4.09 kWh/m²/day |
| Metro size rank | #179 | #84 |
Home & rent Zillow, May 2026 · climate & sunshine NASA POWER climatology. Scores are normalised 0–100 across all metros; higher is better. A research aid, not advice.