Missouri to Iowa Moving Guide
Updated June 22, 2025

Planning a 332 mile interstate move from Missouri to Iowa? This moving guide will help you compare living in Missouri vs Iowa across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like high humidity vs cooler summers), food & health (like St. Louis-Style Pizza vs Breaded Pork Tenderloin), real estate & housing (colonial, ranch vs craftsman, ranch), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Iowa), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to St. Louis-Style Pizza and Kansas City Barbecue, but get your taste buds ready for Breaded Pork Tenderloin & Iowa Pork Chop
- Iowa housing costs are 12% less expensive than they are in Missouri
- Rent in Iowa is 19.04% more affordable than in Missouri
- Moving from Missouri to Iowa will cost on average between $1,500 - $5,000
- Our top recommended Missouri to Iowa movers is Sunrise Moving and Packing, LLC
Missouri to Iowa Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Missouri to Iowa
- High humidity
- Tornado risks
- Traffic congestion
- Urban sprawl
- Cooler summers
- Less severe weather
- Quieter roads
- Accessible nature
- Fewer cultural sites
- Limited industries
- Fewer options
- Less diverse nightlife
- Rich culture
- Strong job market
- Food variety
- Varied nightlife
Pros of moving from Missouri to Iowa
- Say goodbye to high humidity and hello to cooler summers
- Look forward to moving away from tornado risks and moving to Iowa with less severe weather
- Swap the traffic congestion of Missouri for quieter roads in Iowa
- Get ready for accessible nature in Iowa
Cons of moving from Missouri to Iowa
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from rich culture in Missouri to live with fewer cultural sites in Iowa
- You'll lose out on the pro of a strong job market and have to settle for the con of limited industries
- Time to bid farewell to food variety and get used to fewer options in Iowa
- Swap varied nightlife for less diverse nightlife
Missouri vs. Iowa: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Missouri | Iowa |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | St. Louis-Style Pizza | Breaded Pork Tenderloin |
Most popular meat dish | Kansas City Barbecue | Iowa Pork Chop |
Most popular street food item | St. Louis-Style Ribs | Walking Taco |
Most popular vegan food | BBQ Cauliflower Wings | Tofu Scramble |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | 💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪 | 💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪 |
Abundance of Food Trucks | 🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚 | 🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚 |
Foodie Scene | 🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴 | 🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴 |
Vegan Friendly | 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱 | 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱 |
If you're moving from Missouri to Iowa, you will be trading the iconic St. Louis-Style Pizza of Missouri for the equally delicious Breaded Pork Tenderloin of Iowa. And while the locals in Missouri rave about their flavorful Kansas City Barbecue and sumptuous St. Louis-Style Ribs, Iowa residents know they have tasty Iowa Pork Chop and Walking Taco to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the BBQ Cauliflower Wings they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Tofu Scramble of Iowa. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Missouri eateries like Pappy's Smokehouse, Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, and Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que. After the boxes are unpacked in Iowa, don't wait too long before making your way to Iowa's acclaimed eateries like The Machine Shed, The Ronneburg Restaurant, and Zombie Burger + Shake Lab.
When comparing lifestyles, Iowa shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Missouri. Food truck fans will discover a less desirable selection in Iowa compared to what you are used to in Missouri. Also, the overall foodie scene is less bustling in Iowa.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Missouri and Iowa
Comparison | Missouri | Iowa |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Colonial, Ranch | Craftsman, Ranch |
Walkability | 👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟 | 👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟 |
Bikeability | 🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲 | 🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲 |
Urban Lifestyle | 🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️ | 🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Spacious yards, Family-friendly neighborhoods | Proximity to parks, Quiet communities |
- The Colonial and Ranch architecture that Missouri is known for will be replaced with the Craftsman and Ranch architecture typical of Iowa.
- Compared to Missouri's real estate listings that commonly reference spacious yards and family-friendly neighborhoods, Iowa real estate listings often highlight features like proximity to parks and quiet communities.
- You can keep your walking shoes packed away; Iowa is less walkable than Missouri.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike; Iowa is more bike-friendly than Missouri.
- Iowa has less of an urban feel than Missouri.
- Iowa housing costs are 12% less expensive than they are in Missouri, with a median home price of $214,151 compared to Missouri's $243,216.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Iowa have increased 36% compared to a 49% increase in Missouri.
- Rent in Iowa is 19.04% more affordable than in Missouri.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Missouri and Iowa
Comparison | Missouri | Iowa |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️ | ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | 💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦 | 💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦 |
Avg. UV Index | 🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️ | 🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️ |
Natural Disasters | Tornadoes, floods | Tornadoes, blizzards |
Air Quality | Good | Moderate |
Average Summer High/Low (°F) | 90°F/70°F | 85°F/65°F |
Average Winter High/Low (°F) | 40°F/20°F | 31°F/14°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 42 | 36 |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 18 | 36 |
- The shades won't be used as much for your move from Missouri to Iowa. Iowa gets 5% fewer sunshine days than Missouri.
- Iowa has higher humidity and a lower average UV index compared to Missouri.
- Say goodbye to the possible tornadoes and floods in Missouri, but be on the lookout for potential tornadoes and blizzards in Iowa.
- Get ready for colder summers. The average summer high temperature in Iowa is 5 degrees colder than in Missouri.
- The average winter lows are 6 degrees colder than they are in Missouri.
- Your umbrella might be neglected in Iowa. Iowa receives 6 fewer inches of rain compared to Missouri.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Missouri and Iowa
Comparison | Missouri | Iowa |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $64,811 | $69,588 |
Cost of Living Index | 91.8 | 95.9 |
State Income Tax | 5.4% | 8.5% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.97% | 1.29% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 4.225% | 6% |
Top 3 Industries | Manufacturing, Health Care, Retail | Manufacturing, Agriculture, Finance |
Affluence | Moderate | Above Average |
Poverty | Moderate | Low |
Homelessness | Low | Very Low |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Iowa tend to earn about 7% more than in Missouri
- The COLI in Iowa will be 4% higher than what you are used to living in Missouri
- The state income tax in IA is 8.5% compared to 5.4% in MO
- The affluence in Iowa is above average compared to moderate in Missouri
- The poverty level is low in Iowa compared to moderate in Missouri
- In terms of homelessness, it is low in Missouri and very low in Iowa
Political and Religious Climate in Missouri vs. Iowa
Comparison | Missouri | Iowa |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Leans Republican | Swing State |
Local Politics | Conservative outside metro areas | Mixed, with liberal tendencies in cities |
Religion | Christian majority | Christian majority |
- Missouri tends to lean Republican in its political climate
- Iowa, on the other hand, is often described as a swing state
- Iowa's religious environment can be described as a Christian majority
- Missouri's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as a Christian majority
Education Guide When Moving from Missouri to Iowa
Comparison | Missouri | Iowa |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Missouri Missouri State University Washington University in St. Louis | University of Iowa Iowa State University University of Northern Iowa |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Lincoln Elementary School St. Louis; Mason Ridge Elementary School St. Louis; Clayton Elementary School Clayton | Wickham Elementary School Coralville; Grant Wood Elementary School Bettendorf; Brookview Elementary School West Des Moines |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Ladue Middle School Ladue; Pembroke Hill Middle School Kansas City; Central Middle School St. Louis | North Central Junior High North Liberty; Ames Middle School Ames; Summit Middle School Johnston |
Top 3 High Schools | Ladue Horton Watkins High School Ladue; Clayton High School Clayton; Kirkwood High School Kirkwood | West High School Iowa City; Ames High School Ames; Johnston High School Johnston |
Top 3 private high schools | St. Louis University High School St. Louis; Pembroke Hill School Kansas City; John Burroughs School St. Louis | Dowling Catholic High School West Des Moines; Xavier High School Cedar Rapids; Regina High School Iowa City |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | The Barstow School Kansas City; Thomas Jefferson School St. Louis; Pembroke Hill School Kansas City | Scattergood Friends School West Branch; Maharishi School Fairfield; Rivermont Collegiate Bettendorf |
Top 3 School Districts | Clayton School District Ladue School District Kirkwood R-VII School District | Iowa City Community School District West Des Moines Community Schools Ames Community School District |
How Much Do Missouri to Iowa Movers Cost?
Moving 332 miles from Missouri to Iowa will typically cost between $2,000 and $5,000 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $2,000 - $5,000
- Expected Time To Complete: 3-9 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Sunrise Moving and Packing, LLC
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,391 | 300 ft3 | $4.64 |
1 Bedroom | $2,064 | 450 ft3 | $4.59 |
2 Bedrooms | $3,402 | 750 ft3 | $4.54 |
3 Bedrooms | $4,934 | 1100 ft3 | $4.49 |
4 Bedrooms | $7,097 | 1600 ft3 | $4.44 |
5+ Bedrooms | $7,894 | 1800 ft3 | $4.39 |
Top Missouri to Iowa Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Missouri to Iowa movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.

Sunrise Moving and Packing, LLC
Best moving company overall for Missouri to Iowa