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What does a Foundry Mold and Coremakers salary really buy you in Iowa?
Iowa is 11.6% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Iowa's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 88.4, meaning prices are 11.6% lower the national average. A Foundry Mold and Coremakers earning $49,060 in Iowa has the equivalent purchasing power of $55,497 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) | $43,250 | $48,925 | +$5,675 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $43,250 | $48,925 | +$5,675 |
| Median (P50) | $49,060 | $55,497 | +$6,437 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $54,920 | $62,126 | +$7,206 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $57,580 | $65,135 | +$7,555 |
A Foundry Mold and Coremakers in Iowa earns $49,060 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 13% further — like earning $55,497 in an average-cost state. This makes Iowa one of the best value states for this occupation.
Iowa's Regional Price Parity (RPP) of 88.4 means a basket of goods and services costs about 11.6% less than the national average. For a Foundry Mold and Coremakers, every dollar earned effectively buys more here than in a 100-RPP state.
Adjusting $49,060 for Iowa's cost of living yields $55,498 — a 13.1% gain in real purchasing power. This magnitude usually reflects either a materially cheaper or materially pricier metro mix than the national average.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Foundry Mold and Coremakers, Iowa places #6 of 33 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Foundry Mold and Coremakers salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Iowa ranks #6 out of 33 states for Foundry Mold and Coremakers after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Foundry Mold and Coremakers take-home pay in Iowa after taxes →
A Foundry Mold and Coremakers in Iowa earns a median salary of $49,060 per year. After adjusting for Iowa's cost of living (RPP=88.4), the real purchasing power is $55,497 — 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 Foundry Mold and Coremakers in Iowa: $49,060 x (100 / 88.4) = $55,497. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Foundry Mold and Coremakers 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.
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