Property Appraisers and Assessors Salary
The median pay for a property appraisers and assessors in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is $92,370/year ($44.41/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $146K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $100,731 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,318/month, or 22.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $92K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
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 property appraisers and assessors
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What this looks like in Des Moines-West Des Moines
Des Moines-West Des Moines sits well above the national pay line for property appraisers and assessors, local pay runs about 36% higher than the U.S. median of $68K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,318/month, 23.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. 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. Combined with manageable housing costs, Des Moines-West Des Moines offers a genuinely strong financial position for property appraisers and assessorss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for property appraisers and assessors in metros near Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $64K | $72K |
| Ames | $78K | $88K |
| Cedar Rapids | $89K | $100K |
| Sioux City | $76K | $88K |
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 property appraisers and assessors (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $92K. Top earners bring in $146K or more, a $92K spread from bottom to top.
Property Appraisers and Assessors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Property Appraisers and Assessors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $108K | +59% | 110 |
| New Jersey | $92K | +36% | 1,190 |
| Massachusetts | $92K | +35% | 1,100 |
| California | $89K | +31% | 6,380 |
| Connecticut | $86K | +27% | 630 |
| Washington | $84K | +23% | 1,150 |
| Minnesota | $83K | +23% | 1,380 |
| Maine | $81K | +19% | 230 |
| Alaska | $80K | +18% | 200 |
| Iowa | $80K | +18% | 630 |
| Hawaii | $80K | +18% | 130 |
| New York | $78K | +15% | 2,860 |
| Maryland | $78K | +14% | 660 |
| Virginia | $76K | +12% | 1,540 |
| Rhode Island | $76K | +12% | 280 |
| Colorado | $75K | +11% | 1,060 |
| New Hampshire | $75K | +10% | 250 |
| Wisconsin | $69K | +1% | 820 |
| North Carolina | $67K | -2% | 2,210 |
| Texas | $66K | -3% | 5,240 |
| Florida | $66K | -3% | 2,830 |
| North Dakota | $65K | -4% | 240 |
| Nebraska | $65K | -5% | 400 |
| Michigan | $64K | -5% | 1,960 |
| Idaho | $63K | -7% | 500 |
| Ohio | $63K | -7% | 1,220 |
| South Dakota | $63K | -7% | 510 |
| Louisiana | $63K | -7% | 600 |
| Georgia | $62K | -8% | 2,490 |
| Tennessee | $62K | -8% | 1,060 |
| Montana | $62K | -8% | 250 |
| Alabama | $61K | -10% | 600 |
| Wyoming | $61K | -10% | 260 |
| Indiana | $60K | -11% | 1,940 |
| Illinois | $60K | -11% | 1,700 |
| South Carolina | $59K | -13% | 1,000 |
| Kentucky | $59K | -13% | 140 |
| Nevada | $58K | -15% | 600 |
| Pennsylvania | $58K | -15% | 1,430 |
| Delaware | $58K | -15% | 130 |
| Missouri | $57K | -16% | 1,560 |
| Utah | $56K | -17% | 760 |
| Mississippi | $55K | -20% | 520 |
| Oregon | $54K | -20% | 810 |
| Kansas | $51K | -24% | 780 |
| Arizona | $51K | -25% | 1,670 |
| Arkansas | $51K | -25% | 810 |
| New Mexico | $51K | -26% | 530 |
| Oklahoma | $50K | -26% | 920 |
| West Virginia | $45K | -34% | 470 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track property appraisers and assessors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a property appraisers and assessor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Yes — at the median salary of $92K, rent takes 23.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,318/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for property appraisers and assessors in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new property appraisers and assessors typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,257/month. At HUD’s $1,318/month FMR, rent would take 40% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is property appraisers and assessor a high-paying job in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Local pay is 36% above the national median — $92K here vs. $68K nationally.
How does Des Moines-West Des Moines compare to the national average for property appraisers and assessors?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $92K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s +36%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $101K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do property appraisers and assessors make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $92,370 a year, that works out to about $44 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $54,290, and experienced property appraisers and assessors can clear $146,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $92K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,711/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 23.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a property appraisers and assessors 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 property appraisers and assessors salary is worth about $100,731 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do property appraisers and assessors 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.