Census Bureau data for West Des Moines city from the American Community Survey. "Cities" in Census data include incorporated places, towns, villages, and census-designated places (CDPs) — all places where the Census collects community-level estimates.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).
Quick Facts — West Des Moines city
- What is the median household income in West Des Moines city?
- The median household income in West Des Moines city is $84,925 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in West Des Moines city?
- The poverty rate in West Des Moines city is 5.6% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in West Des Moines city?
- $286,300 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in West Des Moines city?
- The median gross rent in West Des Moines city is $1,194 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of West Des Moines city residents have a college degree?
- 54.6% of adults in West Des Moines city hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
69,893
Median Income
$84,925
Median Home Value
$286,300
Poverty Rate
5.6%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
2.5%
Median Age
36.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$8,557 (+11.2%)
Home Value:
+$67,800 (+31%)
Poverty Rate:
+2.0 pp (+55.6%)
Bachelor's+:
-0.8 pp (-1.4%)
Unemployment:
+0.2 pp (+8.7%)
Demographics
Total Population
69,893
Median Age
36.0
Female
49.9%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 6.1%
White (non-Hisp.) 78.3%
Black 3.6%
Asian 7.3%
Two or More 6.3%
Other 2.4%
Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Indian
2.8%
Vietnamese
0.8%
Korean
0.7%
Chinese
0.6%
Filipino
0.3%
Japanese
0.1%
Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Mexican
4.0%
Puerto Rican
0.1%
Cuban
0.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$84,925
±$2,994
+$11,778 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$118,138
Median Family Income
$118,713
Poverty Rate
5.6%
-1.3 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
7.8%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
6.8%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
21.7%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
2.6%
$10–15k
2.1%
$15–25k
4.9%
$25–35k
7.6%
$35–50k
10.4%
$50–75k
16.2%
$75–100k
14.3%
$100–150k
17.0%
$150–200k
10.3%
$200k+
14.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
33,605
Owner-Occupied
57.4%
Renter-Occupied
42.6%
Vacancy Rate
5.3%
Median Home Value
$286,300
+$90,400 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$1,194
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
13.6%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
30.0%
Home Value Distribution
< $50k
2.3%
$50–100k
1.9%
$100–200k
6.5%
$200–300k
32.8%
$300–500k
32.2%
$500k–$1M
12.0%
$1M+
1.2%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
1.4%
$500–1k
21.3%
$1–1.5k
54.7%
$1.5–2k
18.5%
$2–2.5k
2.4%
$2.5–3.5k
0.3%
$3.5k+
1.5%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
3.9%
1 vehicle
40.8%
2 vehicles
40.2%
3+
15.1%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
44.8%
Single-fam. att.
11.9%
2–4 units
0.7%
5–19 units
8.5%
20+ units
22.5%
Mobile home
0.9%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
4.4%
1940–1969
1.5%
1970–1999
11.1%
2000–2009
17.9%
2010+
17.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
96.3%
Bachelor's or Higher
54.6%
+23.7 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
18.9%
Some College / Associate
15.8%
Less Than High School
1.6%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
73.9%
Unemployment Rate
2.5%
-1.1 pp vs. state
Work from Home
17.3%
Self-Employed
4.6%
Government Workers
11.4%
Private For-Profit
84.0%
Industry
Edu/Health
20.8%
Finance
19.3%
Prof. Services
13.7%
Retail
11.1%
Arts/Entmt.
7.1%
Manufacturing
6.3%
Transportation
5.0%
Construction
3.6%
Public Admin
3.1%
Wholesale
2.4%
Information
1.5%
Agriculture
0.6%
Occupation
Management
54.8%
Sales
20.5%
Food Prep
11.8%
Production
9.0%
Construction
3.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
17.8 min
Drove Alone
71.9%
Carpool
7.8%
Public Transit
0.3%
Work from Home
17.3%
Walked
1.1%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
31,825
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
41.5%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
18.8%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
5.9%
5–9
6.3%
10–14
5.5%
15–19
5.0%
20–24
7.1%
25–34
18.0%
35–44
13.9%
45–54
11.9%
55–64
6.3%
65–74
5.5%
75–84
8.3%
85+
4.3%
Under 18: 21.2%
Working age (18–64): 78.8%
65 and over: 14.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
11.3%
Naturalized Citizen
43.9%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
5.4%
Foreign-Born Origin
Asia
51.4%
Latin America
22.6%
Africa
12.1%
Europe
11.9%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
5.6%
With a Disability
9.9%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
95.9%
Uninsured
4.1%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
92.6%
Has a Computer
97.0%
Same House 1 Year Ago
79.1%
Moved from Abroad
1.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023