HEAD TO HEAD
Des Moines vs New York
Des Moines leads New York on 3 of 5 factors — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
Des Moines, IA
wins 3 of 5 factors
New York, NY
wins 2 of 5 factors
Match scores, side by side
| Factor | Des Moines | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Affordable to buy | 87 ◆ | 59 |
| Affordable to rent | 84 ◆ | 4 |
| Climate comfort | 43 | 64 ◆ |
| Plenty of sunshine | 45 ◆ | 40 |
| Big-city amenities | 80 | 100 ◆ |
By the numbers
| Figure | Des Moines | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $296K | $728K |
| Typical rent | $1,293/mo | $3,503/mo |
| Average temperature | 10.2°C | 12.3°C |
| Sunshine (solar energy) | 4.09 kWh/m²/day | 3.92 kWh/m²/day |
| Metro size rank (US) | #84 | #1 |
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.