10 Cities With the Highest and Lowest Real Incomes

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I Live in West Des Moines Iowa. I am 26 years old and I will have to say I love it here is DSM the city is and state is so great. I come From CA and its to hard to live there and gettin is job there is like finding a pin in a hay stack. I just bought my 1st house out here in WDM. the jobs out here are so much easier to find and the pay is GREAT!!!! Come to DSM people help make this city even better

David Jarvinen of IA 11:13AM June 03, 2011

I LIVE IN DES MOINES AND WORK FOR A LARGE COMPANY. THAT COMPANY SUPPORTS ALL KINDS OF LOCAL CHARATIES AND EVENTS. I SUPPORT THE ECONOMY OF DES MOINES BY BUYING LOCAL AND HIT THE MANY FARMERS MARKETS TO SUPPORT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES. GREAT PLACE TO RAISE A FAMILY AND HAVE A CAREER.

COURTNEY of IA 11:09AM June 03, 2011

I live in Los Angeles and travel often. Except for the weather, Des Moines is one of the most interesting mid size cities I've been. It's progressive, socially aware and government and business work closely together for the betterment of the community as a whole. I think this government - business cooperation is more developed and productive in Des Moines than anywhere else I can think of. It seems to be at the heart of this very cosmopolitan city. And the very educated work force I'm sure place a role in Des Moines' success. An interesting anecdotal story: The LA Times ran a story a couple of years ago pointing out that Des Moines pulled in more convention business than Los Angeles. That says something.

Jack of CA 10:24AM June 03, 2011

where do the following cities fall in terms of adjusted real income:
1. Minneapolis-St Paul, MN
2. Denver, CO
3. Seattle, WA

Dan of WA 8:40AM June 03, 2011

Support local Des Moines Businesses, we all made it grow. stay away from the big business, and it will keep getting better. Large corporations, beware the future model for middle class growth.

B of IA 3:50AM June 03, 2011

Hey! Stop telling everyone how great it is here! I've lived from East coast to West in the US and in a couple of foreign countries and I heart Des Moines. If you're a political junkie, it's heaven. I second all the positive comments above but quit blabbing....you could ruin it! (Although the winters keep out the faint of heart)

Pantala of IA 8:15PM June 02, 2011

I moved to Des Moines from Los Angeles two years ago. There's no beach and no mountains. But, I have more rights here as a gay citizen than the big metropolis of either L.A. or New York City. Same sex marriage is legal. The insurance company I work for respects and treats all of it's employees fairly. This is one of the most under rated cities in the country. It's finally getting the recognition it deserves.

brian of IA 6:32PM June 02, 2011

Great story for a great city in a great state! Love it or leave it.

AJ of IA 5:42PM June 02, 2011

Having lived in many cities across Ontario 1974-2004, Des Moines 2004-2008, and then Montréal 2008+, I can tell you that life in Des Moines was cheap and easy. I had a 2 bedroom 850sq' apartment with vaulted ceilings, air conditioning and fireplace for $575/month, walking distance from groceries, entertainment, uninterrupted bike path that went to Jefferson, and more. I also got a $50k+ job within a few months after completing enough immigration to be allowed to, and it wasn't hard to boost that salary almost $10k within a year. Cars are cheap. Gas is cheap. Entertainment is cheap. Toys are cheap. Groceries and alcohol are cheap. Insurance is cheap. It was fiscal heaven!
I had a blast there. It's an awesome place to live. :) The long-distance biking experience is unmatched. The health care is great with lots of clinics and specialists. The taxes are low (anywhere is lower than Québec haha). The people are fun and creative. The city looks new and shiny with lots of landscaping and the streets are intelligently engineered so getting anywhere is a cinch.
Out of the 25+- places I've lived, Des Moines is definitely in my top 3.

AB 5:18PM June 02, 2011

Assuming these statistics are accurate in 2011, I still don't feel "richer" for living here. We are a predominantly white, middle-class, suburban city with culture just barely creeping into the fringes. I would rather have less money and instead have more diversity, culture, and creativity. Money just gets spent on large SUVs, canned townhomes, and chain restaurants in Des Moines anyway.
Lucky for me, I don't have much time left in "wealthy" DSM.

AJ of IA 4:50PM June 02, 2011