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Iowa Teacher Salary Calculator — BLS OEWS Wages · 2026
Iowa (IA) · State tax: 3.8% · Property tax: 1.50% · Median home (ZHVI): $215,000
As of · Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Tax Foundation, Census ACS, Freddie Mac PMMS
Per BLS OEWS, the median (p50) wage for Elementary School Teachers in Iowa is $56,860, ranging from $40,200 (p10) to $68,400 (p90). A $56,860 salary here has the purchasing power of $64,054 in the average US city. Median household income in Iowa is $85,480. Iowa unemployment sits at 3.4% (below the 4.1% national rate). Iowa's top marginal state income tax rate is 0.04%. Iowa's cost-of-living index (89) sits 11 points below the national baseline of 100, meaning nominal wages understate true purchasing power here. When comparing job offers across states, RPP adjustment can shift rankings by multiple positions.
Iowa Financial Snapshot (2026) — Teacher Salary Calculator
Minimum wage, median HH income, and COL adjust take-home for the teacher salary calculator in Iowa.
How the Teacher Salary Calculator Math Works Under Iowa Law
A Iowa salary calculation starts with the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) table for your occupation at the state level, then layers on Iowa's payroll stack: federal income tax (brackets published by IRS), FICA (7.65%), and state income tax at a top marginal 3.80%[1][2].
The formula: take_home = gross − federal_tax − state_tax − FICA − other. "Other" covers 401(k) deferral, HSA, FSA, pre-tax benefits. The calculator below runs this client-side — no inputs leave your browser.
Local context: Iowa
Housing economics in Iowa. The median home value runs 39.9% below the U.S. baseline for Iowa is $215,000 per Zillow's home-value index. Effective property tax sits at 1.50% of assessed value, meaningfully higher than the 0.99% national average tracked by the Tax Foundation.
Income and tax climate. Median household income in Iowa reaches $85,480 per the ACS five-year vintage, pulling above the $78,538 U.S. median. Iowa's top marginal state income tax bracket lands at 3.80% — compared to the volume-weighted national average around 4-5%. BEA's Regional Price Parity scores Iowa at 88.8 (national = 100), meaning a dollar in Iowa buys 113¢ — more goods and services than the same dollar nationally.
Local context as of 2026-04-19.
Iowa versus the U.S. baseline
| Metric | Iowa | U.S. baseline | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value[zillow] | $215,000 | $358,000 | -39.9% |
| Property tax rate[tax-foundation] | 1.50% | 0.99% | 51.5% |
| Top marginal income tax[tax-foundation] | 3.80% | ~4.08% (volume-weighted) | -0.3 pp |
| Cost-of-living index (RPP)[bea-rpp] | 88.8 | 100.0 | -11.2 pts |
| Avg homeowners insurance[naic] | $1,670/yr | $1,754/yr | -4.8% |
How to use the Teacher Salary Calculator
Walk through using the Teacher Salary Calculator with Iowa-specific defaults pre-loaded from primary sources.
- Pre-fill with local dataEach calculator on this page loads with state- or city-specific defaults pulled live from primary sources (FRED, BLS, Zillow, Freddie Mac PMMS, IRS, BEA). The blue values shown next to each input are the local averages so you can see how your scenario compares to the typical case before changing anything.
- Override the inputs you controlChange any field to model your actual situation. The math reruns in your browser the moment you change a value — no signup, no API call, no data transmission. Hover over the small (i) icon next to each label to see the formula that field feeds and where the default came from.
- Read the derived valuesThe result panel shows the primary calculation (monthly payment, take-home pay, savings projection, etc.) plus the intermediate values that drive it. Each line item is labeled with the formula component it represents so you can verify the arithmetic against any agency publication, textbook, or competing calculator.
- Adjust assumptions and re-runMost calculators have a section for assumption inputs that are easy to overlook — annual raises, expected return, inflation, vacancy rate, depreciation schedule, marginal vs. effective tax treatment. The defaults are conservative; aggressive scenarios usually require explicit overrides.
- Save to "My Numbers"When the inputs match your reality, click Save to "My Numbers". The values persist to your device's local storage (IndexedDB) and reload automatically on your next visit. Nothing is transmitted to any CalcFi server — the saved-state feature is deliberately client-side only for privacy.
- Compare scenarios side by sideMost calculators offer a comparison view that shows two or more scenarios side by side. Use this to model decision points: 15-year vs 30-year mortgage, Roth vs Traditional IRA, salary vs hourly, lease vs buy. The comparison view also produces a shareable summary you can download as PNG or PDF.
Worked Examples: Teacher Salary Calculator in Iowa Cities
Same formula, different inputs. Each city name links to its own pSEO page where the calculator is pre-filled with local medians.
| City | Median home | Median rent | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IA | $290,940 | $1,268/mo | $84,209 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $236,652 | $1,231/mo | $77,084 |
| Davenport, IA | $165,000 | $850/mo | $71,925 |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI + ZORI[1],Census ACS[2], Freddie Mac PMMS[3].
How Iowa Compares to Neighboring States
| State | Median home | Top inc tax | Prop tax rate | RPP (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa (this page) | $215,000 | 3.80% | 1.50% | 88.8 |
| Illinois side-by-side | $275,000 | 4.95% | 2.23% | 98.8 |
| compare to Minnesota | $335,000 | 9.85% | 1.12% | 98.3 |
| Missouri equivalent | $245,000 | 4.70% | 0.97% | 91.1 |
| Nebraska equivalent | $265,000 | 5.20% | 1.73% | 90.3 |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI[1], state Departments of Revenue / Tax Foundation[2], Tax Foundation property taxes[3], BEA Regional Price Parities[4].
What Changes Your Result in Iowa
- Iowa cost-of-living drag:Line-item costs in Iowa deviate from the US mean by whatever the BEA all-items RPP deviates from 100. Weight your budget toward the state average rather than the national average.
Related Calculations for Iowa
- Iowa nurse salary rates — both are BLS-OEWS-anchored salary tools.
How Iowa Compares
| Metric | Iowa | National Avg | IL | MN | MO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $215,000 | $420,000 | $315,000 | $425,000 | $295,000 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.5% | 1.07% | 0.85% | 1.12% | 0.97% |
| State Income Tax | 3.8% | 4.6%* | 4.95% | 9.85% | 5.3% |
| Avg Insurance Cost | $1,670/yr | $1,544/yr | $1,440/yr | $1,320/yr | $1,440/yr |
| Cost of Living Index | 88.8 | 100 | 104 | 105 | 90 |
| Household Income — p25 | $45,807 | $41,401 | $41,110 | $49,800 | $40,004 |
| Household Income — p50 (median) | $85,000 | $83,592 | $84,105 | $92,473 | $78,941 |
| Household Income — p75 | $135,696 | $153,000 | $158,064 | $158,112 | $137,432 |
*Average of states that levy an income tax. 2026 estimates. Iowa recently dropped its top income tax rate from 8.53% to a flat 3.9% and exempted all retirement income.[3] Income percentiles from DQYDJ/Census CPS 2024[4].
Iowa Financial Planning Tips
Track take-home pay: 3.8% state income tax plus federal + FICA reduces gross wages by roughly 29% in Iowa.
Anchor savings goals to the Iowa cost of living index (88.8). A national 20% savings rate needs adjustment up or down depending on local expense floors.
Use tax-advantaged accounts first: 401(k), HSA, IRA. Contributions to pre-tax accounts save 3.8% at the state level plus your federal marginal rate.
Frequently Asked Questions: Teacher Salary Calculator in Iowa
How does the teacher salary work in Iowa?
- The teacher salary calculator runs the standard client-side formula and layers on Iowa's 3.8% state income tax, 1.5% property tax rate, and cost-of-living index of 88.8. All inputs stay in your browser.
What's the median Elementary School Teachers salary in Iowa?
- BLS OEWS reports a p50 wage of $56,860 for Elementary School Teachers in Iowa, with p25 $40,200 and p75 $68,400.
What's the real purchasing power of this Iowa salary?
- A $56,860 salary here has the purchasing power of $64,054 in the average US city.
How does the Iowa Elementary School Teachers median compare to the national median?
- The Elementary School Teachers median in Iowa is $56,860, 17% below the national median of $68,550 (BLS OEWS 2023). Adjusted for Iowa's 89 cost-of-living index, the real purchasing-power equivalent is $64,054.
How much take-home pay remains after Iowa state tax?
- Iowa's top marginal is 3.80%; effective on median income usually lands near 2.7%.
What's the unemployment rate in Iowa?
- Iowa unemployment sits at 3.4% (below the 4.1% national rate).
What is Iowa's income tax rate?
- Iowa is transitioning to a flat 3.9% income tax rate by 2026, down from a previous top rate of 8.53%. All retirement income is now exempt.
Does Iowa have an inheritance tax?
- No. Iowa repealed its inheritance tax effective January 1, 2025.
Is the teacher salary free to use for Iowa residents?
- Yes — the Teacher Salary Calculator is 100% free, with no signup required. All Iowa-specific numbers (median home price $215,000, property tax 1.5%, 3.8% state income tax) are prefilled from public datasets. Calculations run in your browser; no data is sent to our servers.
Does the teacher salary replace tax or financial advice?
- No. The Teacher Salary Calculator provides educational estimates using public data and standard formulas. It is not personalized tax, legal, or investment advice. For decisions with material consequences, consult a licensed professional.
More Calculators
← Back to Teacher Salary CalculatorRelated Calculators for Iowa
Calculate for Neighboring States
Iowa Financial Data (2026)
- State Income Tax
- 3.8%
- Property Tax Rate
- 1.5%
- Median Home Price
- $215,000
- Annual Property Tax (median home)
- $3,225
- Avg Homeowners Insurance
- $1,670/year
- Cost of Living Index
- 88.8 (100 = avg)
- State Estate Tax
- Yes
- State Abbreviation
- IA
Compare Iowa with other states
Every number on this page reads from the same CalcFi data repository used by the Live Data pages below — the figures stay consistent.
Home Prices by State
Zillow ZHVI across all 50 states
Property Tax by State
Effective rate × ZHVI = annual bill
Household Income by State
FRED real median + percentile bands
Cost of Living by State
BEA RPP all-items + housing
No-Income-Tax States
Full list + trade-offs
Current Interest Rates
Treasury curve + PMMS + FDIC
How we compute this — methodology
CalcFi pSEO pages combine three inputs: (1) the calculator formula itself, which runs client-side so no inputs leave your browser; (2) state-level financial constants from primary public datasets; and (3) national benchmarks for comparison. The Iowa page uses the property tax rate (1.5%), median home price ($215,000), and 3.8% state income tax from the sources listed below.
Known limits: statewide averages mask large intra-state variance — county-level property tax and metro-level home prices differ significantly from the figures shown. For the most precise calculations, cross-check the output against your actual county assessor and the latest federal/state tax tables at filing time.
More Cities in Iowa
Use Teacher Salary Calculator for any city in Iowa.
Related Calculators & States
Related Calculators for Iowa
National reference: Teacher Salary Calculator Calculator
Sources
Every number on this page cites a primary public dataset. Last reviewed (auto-bumped by the next ISR refresh after an ETL run).
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — State Minimum Wage Laws. dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- Tax Foundation — State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/state-income-tax-rates-2025. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- Composite state financial context (median home price, property tax effective rate, cost of living index) cross-referenced against the primary sources below.
- Census Current Population Survey / IPUMS CPS (income year 2024) via DQYDJ state tools. dqydj.com. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — state-level occupational wages — www.bls.gov/oes. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates — www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- U.S. Department of Labor — State Minimum Wage Laws — www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- Internal Revenue Service — federal individual income tax brackets and standard deductions — www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-17. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- State Departments of Revenue — official bracket + deduction publications (one primary URL per state; linked in the brackets table below) — taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/state-income-tax-rates. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- Zillow Research — ZHVI (Zillow Home Value Index) + ZORI (Zillow Observed Rent Index) — www.zillow.com/research/data. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) — weekly national mortgage rates — www.freddiemac.com/pmms. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- Tax Foundation — Property Taxes Paid as % of Owner-Occupied Housing Value; State Tax Rates and Brackets; Estate/Inheritance; Social Security Taxation — taxfoundation.org/data/all/state. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owners, and Homeowners Tenants Insurance Report — content.naic.org/article/homeowners-insurance-report. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities by State — www.bea.gov/data/prices-inflation/regional-price-parities-state-and-metro-area. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) — real median household income, unemployment, HPI, LFPR per state — fred.stlouisfed.org. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
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