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What does a Nursing Assistants 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 Nursing Assistants earning $39,350 in Iowa has the equivalent purchasing power of $44,513 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) | $35,620 | $40,294 | +$4,674 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $37,360 | $42,262 | +$4,902 |
| Median (P50) | $39,350 | $44,513 | +$5,163 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $45,650 | $51,640 | +$5,990 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $47,980 | $54,276 | +$6,296 |
A Nursing Assistants in Iowa earns $39,350 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 13% further — like earning $44,513 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 Nursing Assistants, every dollar earned effectively buys more here than in a 100-RPP state.
Adjusting $39,350 for Iowa's cost of living yields $44,514 — 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.
Iowa sits at #17 of 51 states for Nursing Assistants COL-adjusted salary — comfortably above the national midpoint.
Where does Nursing Assistants salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Iowa ranks #17 out of 51 states for Nursing Assistants after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Nursing Assistants take-home pay in Iowa after taxes →
A Nursing Assistants in Iowa earns a median salary of $39,350 per year. After adjusting for Iowa's cost of living (RPP=88.4), the real purchasing power is $44,513 — 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 Nursing Assistants in Iowa: $39,350 x (100 / 88.4) = $44,513. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Nursing Assistants 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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