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What does a Office Clerks, General 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 Office Clerks, General earning $44,310 in Iowa has the equivalent purchasing power of $50,124 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) | $29,660 | $33,552 | +$3,892 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $36,180 | $40,927 | +$4,747 |
| Median (P50) | $44,310 | $50,124 | +$5,814 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $51,830 | $58,631 | +$6,801 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $61,410 | $69,468 | +$8,058 |
A Office Clerks, General in Iowa earns $44,310 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 13% further — like earning $50,124 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 Office Clerks, General, every dollar earned effectively buys more here than in a 100-RPP state.
Adjusting $44,310 for Iowa's cost of living yields $50,124 — 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 Office Clerks, General, Iowa places #5 of 51 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Office Clerks, General salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Iowa ranks #5 out of 51 states for Office Clerks, General after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Office Clerks, General take-home pay in Iowa after taxes →
A Office Clerks, General in Iowa earns a median salary of $44,310 per year. After adjusting for Iowa's cost of living (RPP=88.4), the real purchasing power is $50,124 — 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 Office Clerks, General in Iowa: $44,310 x (100 / 88.4) = $50,124. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Office Clerks, General 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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