Iowa to North Dakota Moving Guide
Updated June 16, 2025

Planning a 712 mile interstate move from Iowa to North Dakota? This moving guide will help you compare living in Iowa vs North Dakota across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like limited career opportunities vs growing job market), food & health (like Pork Tenderloin Sandwich vs Hotdish), real estate & housing (ranch vs split-level), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in North Dakota), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Pork Tenderloin Sandwich and Grilled Pork Chops, but get your taste buds ready for Hotdish & Bison Steak
- North Dakota housing costs are 18% more expensive than those in Iowa
- Rent in North Dakota is 5.54% more affordable than in Iowa
- Moving from Iowa to North Dakota will cost on average between $1,500 - $5,500
- Our top recommended Iowa to North Dakota movers is Adamantine Spine Moving
Iowa to North Dakota Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Iowa to North Dakota
- Limited career opportunities
- Frequent flooding
- Dense urban areas
- High property taxes
- Growing job market
- Drier climate
- Spacious living
- Lower property taxes
- Limited land features
- Fewer cultural events
- Quiet towns
- Less road connectivity
- Diverse landscapes
- Rich cultural heritage
- Vibrant city life
- Well-developed infrastructure
Pros of moving from Iowa to North Dakota
- Say goodbye to limited career opportunities and hello to a growing job market
- Look forward to moving away from frequent flooding and moving to North Dakota with a drier climate
- Swap the dense urban areas of Iowa for spacious living in North Dakota
- Get ready for lower property taxes in North Dakota
Cons of moving from Iowa to North Dakota
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from diverse landscapes in Iowa to live with limited land features in North Dakota
- You'll lose out on the pro of rich cultural heritage and have to settle with the con of fewer cultural events
- Time to bid farewell to vibrant city life and get used to quiet towns in North Dakota
- Swap well-developed infrastructure for less road connectivity
Iowa vs. North Dakota: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Iowa | North Dakota |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Pork Tenderloin Sandwich | Hotdish |
Most popular meat dish | Grilled Pork Chops | Bison Steak |
Most popular street food item | Sweet Corn | Knoephla Soup |
Most popular vegan food | Roasted Vegetables | Lentil Dish |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from Iowa to North Dakota, you will be trading the iconic Pork Tenderloin Sandwich of Iowa for the equally delicious Hotdish of North Dakota. And while the locals in Iowa rave about their flavorful Grilled Pork Chops and sumptuous Sweet Corn, North Dakota residents know they have tasty Bison Steak and Knoephla Soup to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Roasted Vegetables they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Lentil Dish of North Dakota. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Iowa eateries like Zombie Burger, The Sumatran, and Centro. After the boxes are unpacked in North Dakota, don't wait too long before making your way to North Dakota's acclaimed eateries like Kroll's Diner, Mezzaluna, and HoDo Restaurant.
When comparing lifestyles, North Dakota shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Iowa. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in North Dakota compared to what you are used to in Iowa. Also, the overall foodie scene is less bustling in North Dakota.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Iowa and North Dakota
Comparison | Iowa | North Dakota |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Ranch | Split-level |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Spacious yards, hardwood floors | Energy efficiency, open concept layouts |
- The Ranch architecture that Iowa is known for will be replaced with the Split-level architecture typical of North Dakota.
- Compared to Iowa's real estate listings, which commonly reference spacious yards and hardwood floors, North Dakota real estate listings often highlight features like energy efficiency and open concept layouts.
- You can keep your walking shoes packed away as North Dakota is less walkable than Iowa.
- You might want to think twice before moving your bike since North Dakota is less bike-friendly than Iowa.
- North Dakota has more of an urban feel than Iowa.
- North Dakota housing costs are 18% more expensive than those in Iowa, with a median home price of $253,395 compared to Iowaβs $214,151.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in North Dakota have increased by 18% compared to a 36% increase in Iowa.
- Rent in North Dakota is 5.54% more affordable than in Iowa.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Iowa and North Dakota
Comparison | Iowa | North Dakota |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Tornadoes, floods | Blizzards, floods |
Air Quality | Good | Very Good |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 85/63 | 82/57 |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 31/14 | 24/6 |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 34 | 18 |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 35 | 50 |
- The shades won't be used as much for your move from Iowa to North Dakota. North Dakota gets 1% fewer sunshine days than Iowa.
- North Dakota has lower humidity and a lower average UV index compared to Iowa.
- Say goodbye to the possible tornadoes and floods in Iowa, but be on the lookout for potential blizzards and floods in North Dakota.
- The average summer high temperature in North Dakota is 3 degrees colder than in Iowa.
- The average winter lows are 8 degrees colder than they are in Iowa.
- Your umbrella might be neglected in North Dakota. North Dakota receives 16 fewer inches of rain compared to Iowa.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Iowa and North Dakota
Comparison | Iowa | North Dakota |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $69,588 | $71,970 |
Cost of Living Index | 95.9 | 95.3 |
State Income Tax | 8.53% | 5.90% |
Avg. Property Tax | 1.43% | 1.05% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.85% |
Top 3 Industries | Agriculture, Manufacturing, Finance | Energy, Agriculture, Technology |
Affluence | Stable | Growing |
Poverty | Moderate | Low |
Homelessness | Low | Very Low |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in North Dakota tend to earn about 3% more than those in Iowa
- The COLI in North Dakota will be 1% lower than what you are used to living in Iowa
- The state income tax in ND is 5.90% compared to 8.53% in IA
- The affluence in North Dakota is growing compared to stable in Iowa
- The poverty level is low in North Dakota compared to moderate in Iowa
- In terms of homelessness, it is low in Iowa and very low in North Dakota
Political and Religious Climate in Iowa vs. North Dakota
Comparison | Iowa | North Dakota |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Swing State, leans slightly Republican recently | Strongly Republican |
Local Politics | Moderate, with a focus on agricultural policies | Conservative, energy and job growth prioritized |
Religion | Christian majority, diverse religious communities | Christian majority, less religious diversity |
- Iowa tends to lean swing State and leans slightly Republican recently in its political climate
- North Dakota, on the other hand, is often described as strongly Republican
- North Dakota's religious environment can be described as a Christian majority with less religious diversity
- Iowa's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as a Christian majority and diverse religious communities
Education Guide When Moving from Iowa to North Dakota
Comparison | Iowa | North Dakota |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Iowa Iowa State University University of Northern Iowa | North Dakota State University University of North Dakota Minot State University |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Wickham Elementary - Coralville Roosevelt Elementary - Ames Lincoln Elementary - Pella | Freedom Elementary - West Fargo Longfellow Elementary - Fargo Lincoln Elementary - Dickinson |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Ames Middle School - Ames North Central Junior High - Coralville Northwest Junior High - Coralville | Ben Franklin Middle School - Fargo Horizon Middle School - Bismarck Cheney Middle School - West Fargo |
Top 3 High Schools | West High School - Iowa City Ames High School - Ames Johnston High School - Johnston | Fargo North High - Fargo Century High School - Bismarck Red River High School - Grand Forks |
Top 3 private high schools | Xavier High School - Cedar Rapids Dowling Catholic High School - West Des Moines Wahlert Catholic High School - Dubuque | Shanley High School - Fargo St. Mary's Central High School - Bismarck Oak Grove Lutheran School - Fargo |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Maharishi School - Fairfield Scattergood Friends School - West Branch Rivermont Collegiate - Bettendorf | Oak Grove Lutheran School - Fargo Shiloh Christian School - Bismarck Trinity Christian School - Williston |
Top 3 School Districts | Iowa City Community School District West Des Moines Community Schools Ames Community School District | Fargo Public Schools Bismarck Public Schools West Fargo Public Schools |
How Much Do Iowa to North Dakota Movers Cost?
Moving 712 miles from Iowa to North Dakota will typically cost between $2,500 and $5,500 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $2,500 - $5,500
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Hemmen Moving
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,606 | 300 ft3 | $5.35 |
1 Bedroom | $2,387 | 450 ft3 | $5.30 |
2 Bedrooms | $3,940 | 750 ft3 | $5.25 |
3 Bedrooms | $5,724 | 1100 ft3 | $5.20 |
4 Bedrooms | $8,246 | 1600 ft3 | $5.15 |
5+ Bedrooms | $9,187 | 1800 ft3 | $5.10 |
Top Iowa to North Dakota Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Iowa to North Dakota movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.

Adamantine Spine Moving
Best moving company overall for Iowa to North Dakota