Community Health Workers Salary
Community Health Workers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA make a median of $46,790 a year, or about $22.5 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $51,025 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month, about 41.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $47K actually covers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About community health workers
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What this looks like in Des Moines-West Des Moines
Community health workers pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines tracks closely to the national median, $47K locally vs. $52K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,318/month, which is 42.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for community health workers in metros near Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $47K | $52K |
| Sioux City | $47K | $54K |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $48K | $55K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $50K | $48K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level community health workers (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Community Health Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Community Health Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $67K | +29% | 200 |
| District of Columbia | $63K | +21% | 280 |
| North Dakota | $60K | +15% | 90 |
| Colorado | $59K | +14% | N/A |
| Hawaii | $58K | +13% | 240 |
| New York | $58K | +12% | 5,800 |
| California | $58K | +12% | 9,500 |
| Nevada | $58K | +11% | 670 |
| Washington | $57K | +10% | 2,640 |
| Delaware | $56K | +8% | 280 |
| New Jersey | $56K | +8% | 1,330 |
| Utah | $56K | +7% | 580 |
| Massachusetts | $56K | +7% | 2,970 |
| New Mexico | $55K | +6% | 610 |
| Wyoming | $54K | +4% | 140 |
| Connecticut | $54K | +3% | 290 |
| Oregon | $53K | +3% | 1,980 |
| Rhode Island | $53K | +2% | 520 |
| Idaho | $52K | +0% | 270 |
| Alaska | $52K | +0% | 400 |
| Nebraska | $52K | -0% | 160 |
| Vermont | $52K | -1% | 170 |
| Wisconsin | $51K | -1% | 630 |
| Pennsylvania | $51K | -2% | 1,970 |
| Georgia | $51K | -2% | 490 |
| Ohio | $51K | -2% | 1,910 |
| Maryland | $51K | -3% | 3,030 |
| Montana | $50K | -4% | 330 |
| Michigan | $49K | -5% | 1,890 |
| Illinois | $49K | -5% | 2,040 |
| Arizona | $49K | -6% | 1,140 |
| Virginia | $49K | -6% | 620 |
| Missouri | $49K | -6% | 1,820 |
| Texas | $49K | -6% | 4,210 |
| Maine | $49K | -6% | 360 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -7% | 980 |
| South Carolina | $48K | -7% | 540 |
| Indiana | $48K | -8% | 1,310 |
| Iowa | $48K | -8% | 390 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -8% | 1,680 |
| Minnesota | $48K | -8% | 1,260 |
| Kansas | $47K | -9% | 240 |
| Louisiana | $46K | -10% | 210 |
| Oklahoma | $46K | -12% | 600 |
| South Dakota | $46K | -12% | 270 |
| Florida | $45K | -12% | 1,220 |
| Arkansas | $45K | -13% | N/A |
| Alabama | $43K | -16% | 270 |
| Tennessee | $42K | -18% | 520 |
| Mississippi | $40K | -24% | 410 |
| West Virginia | $38K | -27% | 310 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track community health workers salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a community health worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 42.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,318/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for community health workers in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new community health workers typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,584/month. At HUD’s $1,318/month FMR, rent would take 51% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is community health worker a high-paying job in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $47K locally vs. $52K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Des Moines-West Des Moines compare to the national average for community health workers?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $52K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — below the national median.
How much do community health workers make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $46,790 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,240, and experienced community health workers can clear $73,240. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,116/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 42.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a community health workers salary go in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median community health workers salary is worth about $51,025 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do community health workers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.