$150,000 in Iowa
Household income percentile, occupation comparison, and lifestyle context for Iowa.
Occupations near $150,000 (single earner)
BLS national median wages within ±15% of $150,000 — gives texture for which careers and seniorities land at this income level.
| Occupation | Stage | National wage |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer | mid-career | $145,760 |
| UX designer | senior | $145,000 |
| Air traffic controller | mid-career | $144,580 |
| Financial manager | mid-career | $156,100 |
| Marketing manager | mid-career | $158,280 |
| Software engineer (senior) | mid-career | $159,400 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. National medians; metro/state variance can be ±30%. Career stage estimates: entry ≈ 25th pct, senior ≈ 75th pct of the same SOC code.
Single earner vs two-earner household
One earner pulling $150,000 typically means a lawyer or comparable role. Above-median earner status in Iowa.
Two earners at $75,000 each combined = $150,000. Each individual is below median individually, but the household lands at the same percentile as a single $150,000 earner.
Lifestyle context — rent burden in Iowa
At $150,000 gross, statewide median rent eats 8% of income — inside the affordable band. Metro areas (LA, SF, NYC, Boston, Seattle) typically run 30-50% above the statewide median.
Home affordability at $150,000
Using the 28% rule on a 30-year mortgage, $150,000 gross supports a home purchase up to about $404,719. Iowa median home value is $181,600 — you can afford 223% of the median home, so buying statewide is realistic.
How $150,000 ranks in neighboring states
State-adjusted percentile shows the same income placed in Iowa's contiguous neighbors. Relevant for relocation, remote-work geography, or border-town decisions.
| State | Median HH | % vs median | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa (current) | $73,147 | +105% | 79th |
| Missouri | $68,545 | +119% | 81th |
| South Dakota | $71,722 | +109% | 80th |
| Wisconsin | $76,058 | +97% | 78th |
| Nebraska | $76,079 | +97% | 78th |
| Illinois | $81,702 | +84% | 75th |
| Minnesota | $87,556 | +71% | 73th |
$150,000 ranks similarly in
Other incomes in Iowa
Common questions
- Is $150,000 a good household income in Iowa?
- It's at roughly the 79th percentile for Iowa after adjusting for the state's median income ($73,147). Nationally that's about the 75th percentile. Whether "good" depends on household size, debt, and metro cost of living — Census medians smooth over big within-state variation.
- How does $150,000 compare to the Iowa median?
- It's 105% above the Iowa median household income of $73,147 (Census ACS 2023, table B19013). Half of Iowa households earn less than $73,147, half earn more.
- Why does this number differ from other percentile calculators?
- Two sources of variation: (1) some calculators use individual income, not household — household income is typically higher because it combines earners. (2) Some use single-year ACS, others use 5-year averages. We use ACS 2023 1-year B19080 for the national distribution and adjust by state median ratio.
Full data sources and formulas: /sources.