($1,459) Movers From Des Moines, IA to Washington DC, MD

What to know before moving from Des Moines to Washington DC

Moving from Des Moines to Washington DC comes with exciting new opportunities — but also higher living costs. Since Washington DC is generally more expensive than Des Moines, it’s important to plan ahead and budget carefully for the change.

Check out how the two cities compare so you know what to expect before you relocate:

• Rent prices in Washington DC are 109% higher than in Des Moines, which means you’ll have less money in your pocket each month.
• In terms of homeownership, you’ll be able to get more for your money in Des Moines.
  Home prices in Washington DC are 209.0% higher than in Des Moines.
• Income in Washington DC is 73.9% higher than in Des Moines, so you could earn more for doing the same job. The top employers in Washington DC include Department of Homeland Security, US Navy, and United States Postal Service.
• Be sure to budget for higher bills in Washington DC, since the cost of living for a single person in Washington DC is 109.6% higher than in Des Moines. This includes routine expenses like utilities, groceries, clothing, and transportation.
• If you’re moving your family to Washington DC, keep in mind that your living expenses could increase. The cost of living for a family in Washington DC is 153.3% higher than in Des Moines.
• The unemployment rate in Washington DC is 18.64% higher than in Des Moines.
• You’ll spend less on retail and restaurants in Washington DC, since the city’s sales taxes in Washington DC are 14.29% lower than in Des Moines.
• State income taxes in Washington DC are 30.68% higher than in Des Moines.

To put this in perspective, you would need around $6,287.15 in Washington DC to maintain the same standard of life that you can have with $3,000.00 in Des Moines.

How life is different in Des Moines vs. Washington DC

• Washington DC and Des Moines have roughly the same population, which could make adjusting to your new life in Maryland easier.
• Washington DC offers better access to buses and trains than Des Moines, based on public transportation ratings. Washington DC has a transit score of 9 out of 10 compared to 5 in Des Moines. The higher the score, the more public transportation pickup and dropoff locations a city provides.
• Living in Washington DC means you’ll likely be within closer walking distance to restaurants, shops, parks, and entertainment than you are in Des Moines. Washington DC is considered more walkable than Des Moines, with a score of 77 out of 100 versus 45 out of 100 in Des Moines. A city’s walkability score indicates how pedestrian-friendly it is in terms of proximity of neighborhoods to amenities.
• If cycling is your thing, Washington DC is considered more bike-friendly than Des Moines in terms of designated lanes and connectivity and how many residents opt to commute on two wheels rather than by car. Washington DC has a bike-friendliness score of 70 out of 100, while Des Moines is rated as 39 out of 100.
• The crime rate in Washington DC is higher than in Des Moines, so you may want to exercise a little extra caution as you're acclimating to your new location. While the crime index is 60.37 in Washington DC, it is 5.0 in Des Moines. With this index, the lower the score, the better, since it indicates a city’s crime levels.
• You may want to exercise more caution as you’re getting used to your new surroundings in Washington DC. With a crime index of 39.63, Washington DC ranks lower in overall safety than Des Moines, whose index is Des Moines's 57.8. The safety index measures how safe people in a city feel about walking alone, both during the day and at night, as well as data on muggings, theft, vandalism, and other instances of petty crime.
• The air quality in Washington DC and Des Moines is generally the same (Good). Cities with good to moderate ratings have clean or acceptable air quality, with the possibility of small pollutants affecting people with certain health conditions like asthma. Anything beyond the moderate rate means increased impact on residents.

Other things to consider for your Des Moines vs. Washington DC move

• Weather: Winters are cool to cold with light snow more common but heavy snow not uncommon, and summers are hot and humid. Spring and fall are mild to warm. Be sure to check your weather app to avoid heavy snowfall or high heat.
• HOA rules: Check ahead with any neighborhood or community rules on moving to ensure a smooth move.
• Elevator reservation: If your building has an elevator you'll want to check on how to reserve it for move day.
• Truck parking permits: Some cities require parking permits for large vehicles and moving trucks. Find out if you need any parking permits ahead of time.
• State licensing: Although a local license is not required in Maryland, make sure the moving company you’ll be hiring is registered with U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). To verify if you’re dealing with a legal and licensed mover, you may ask them their USDOT registration number. Make sure the moving company you use has a license before hiring.
• State regulator: You can verify a Maryland moving license and its status through the state's public utilities commission.
• Moving permits: Maryland does not require any moving permits, but it is helpful to check local parking restrictions before moving into the state.
• Change of address: We recommend submitting your change of address form with USPS at least a week prior to your move. You can set an official move date on the form and this way all of your mail will get properly forwarded to Washington DC. Get started here.
• Moving company insurance: Every state requires moving companies to carry different levels of insurance.In Alabama, Released Value Protection stands out as the most economical option, incurring no additional costs. Provided by movers at no extra charge, it offers minimal coverage at 60 cents per pound per article. For those seeking comprehensive coverage, it is advisable to consult with your chosen moving company for alternative options or explore third-party insurance providers.
• Moving checklist: Our moving checklist will help you have the peace of mind that you've got everything covered.

Where to live in Washington DC

Now that you've decided to make the move to "DC", these are the best neighborhoods to move to in Washington DC.

Helpful moving resources