What does a Firefighters salary really buy you in Iowa?
Iowa is 11.6% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-04-02
Iowa's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 88.4, meaning prices are 11.6% lower the national average. A Firefighters earning $50,460 in Iowa has the equivalent purchasing power of $57,081 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Iowa's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $34,070 | $38,540 | +$4,470 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $38,590 | $43,653 | +$5,063 |
| Median (P50) | $50,460 | $57,081 | +$6,621 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $61,580 | $69,660 | +$8,080 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $80,670 | $91,255 | +$10,585 |
A Firefighters in Iowa earns $50,460 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 13% further — like earning $57,081 in an average-cost state. This makes Iowa one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Firefighters salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Iowa ranks #22 out of 49 states for Firefighters after cost-of-living adjustment.
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How much do you actually take home? See Firefighters take-home pay in Iowa after taxes →
A Firefighters in Iowa earns a median salary of $50,460 per year. After adjusting for Iowa's cost of living (RPP=88.4), the real purchasing power is $57,081 — a +13.1% difference.
Iowa's cost of living is 11.6% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Iowa is 88.4 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Firefighters in Iowa: $50,460 x (100 / 88.4) = $57,081. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Firefighters in Iowa enjoys 13.1% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.