At a Glance
Median Income
$63,966
$36,459 per capita
Home Value
$183,700
Zillow: $204,843
Median Rent
$1,054/mo
28.8% of income on rent
Violent Crime
712/100K
4,091/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
29.0%
87.3% high school+
Unemployment
4.1%
11.1% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
39.7%
16.7% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
53°F
290 sunny days/yr
How Des Moines Compares to the U.S. Average
Each bar shows Des Moines's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)
Is Des Moines a Good Place to Live?
B
3.3 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.
Economy & Jobs
Des Moines residents earn a median household income of $63,966 , which is 15% below the national average of $75,149.
Per capita income is $36,459. The unemployment rate stands at 4.1% (14% above the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 11.1% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 20,581 business establishments, including 1,227 restaurants.
Housing & Cost of Living
The median home value in Des Moines is $183,700 , 35% below the national median of $281,900.
Zillow estimates the typical home at $204,843. Median rent is $1,054/month, with 28.8% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 87.8 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1960.
Safety & Crime
Des Moines reports 712 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
, which is 87% above the national average of 380/100K.
Property crime is 4,091/100K. The murder rate is 6.4/100K.
Education
29.0% of adults in Des Moines hold a bachelor's degree or higher
(14% below the national average).
87.3% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.4/10 in standardized testing.
Climate & Weather
Des Moines has an average annual temperature of 53°F (12°C).
Winters average 26°F in January while summers reach 75°F in July. The area gets 290 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 27.4 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 43.
Data Overview
People
Population212,464
Median Age34.6 yrs
Density2,410/mi²
Male / Female50% / 51%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans5.5%
Economy
B+
Median Income$63,966
Per Capita$36,459
Unemployment4.1%
Poverty11.1%
County GDP$63,823M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,395
Housing
A+
Home Value$183,700
Rent$1,054
Ownership60.4%
Zillow$204,843
Housing Units96,245
Rent Burden28.8%
Crime
F
Violent712/100K
Property4,091/100K
Murder6.4/100K
Assault522/100K
Burglary1,046/100K
Health
Obesity39.7%
Diabetes11.7%
Smoking16.7%
Heart Disease6.0%
Premature Death7,653/100K
Climate
Avg Temp53°F
Sunny Days290/yr
Rain27.4 in/yr
AQI43 (Good)
Elevation801 ft
Education
B
Bachelor's+29.0%
High School+87.3%
Graduate+9.0%
School Score5.4/10
Community
2024 VoteR 44% / D 55%
Commute20 min
Broadband87.9%
Internet Speed130 Mbps
EV Stations46
Libraries19
Did You Know?
Des Moines was founded in 1843.
The median home in Des Moines was built in 1960.
The nearest airport is Des Moines International (7 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.433 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA.
14.0% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
Average internet download speed is 130 Mbps.
There are 1,227 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 33 fatal vehicle crashes.
91 declared natural disasters on record.
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