Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Metro Area

Metro Area

Population: 720,331 (2023 estimate)

Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA)

Metro area data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) are defined by the Office of Management and Budget and group counties with a central urban core plus surrounding communities that are economically tied to it. Metro areas often cross county and state lines, making them the best unit for understanding regional labor markets, housing costs, and commute patterns.

Metro income rankings Compare to another metro

Trends 2017–2023

Income Poverty Home Values Rent Homeownership Education Unemployment Commute Time Work From Home Foreign-Born Uninsured

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).

Quick Facts — Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Metro Area

What is the median household income in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Metro Area?: The median household income in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Metro Area is $84,209 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
What is the poverty rate in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Metro Area?: The poverty rate in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Metro Area is 6.2% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the median home value in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Metro Area?: $252,400 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the average rent in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Metro Area?: The median gross rent in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Metro Area is $1,113 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What percentage of Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Metro Area residents have a college degree?: 39.1% of adults in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Metro Area hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).

Population

720,331

Median Income

$84,209

Median Home Value

$252,400

Poverty Rate

6.2%

Unemployment (ACS 2023)

4.0%

Median Age

36.0 yrs

Since 2019 Median Income: +$14,083 (+20.1%) Home Value: +$70,000 (+38.4%) Poverty Rate: 0.0 pp (+0%) Bachelor's+: +2.6 pp (+7.1%) Unemployment: +0.1 pp (+2.6%)

Demographics

Total Population 720,331

Median Age 36.0

Female 50.1%

Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 8.4% White (non-Hisp.) 78.3% Black 5.7% Asian 4.2% Two or More 5.8% Other 2.5%

Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Indian

0.9%

Vietnamese

0.6%

Chinese

0.4%

Filipino

0.2%

Korean

0.2%

Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Mexican

5.7%

Puerto Rican

0.4%

Cuban

0.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Income & Poverty

Median Household Income $84,209 ±$1,136

Per Capita Income $110,503

Median Family Income $106,924

Poverty Rate 6.2%

Child Poverty Rate 9.7%

Working-Age Poverty Rate —

SNAP Recipients 9.1%

Social Security Income —

Retirement Income 22.7%

Household Income Distribution

< $10k

3.1%

$10–15k

2.5%

$15–25k

5.4%

$25–35k

6.1%

$35–50k

11.0%

$50–75k

16.5%

$75–100k

14.0%

$100–150k

19.1%

$150–200k

11.0%

$200k+

11.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Housing

Total Housing Units 308,705

Owner-Occupied 69.5%

Renter-Occupied 30.5%

Vacancy Rate 6.2%

Median Home Value $252,400

Median Gross Rent $1,113

Owner Cost Burden (30%+) 14.4%

Renter Cost Burden (30%+) 33.1%

Home Value Distribution

< $50k

3.5%

$50–100k

5.2%

$100–200k

10.3%

$200–300k

28.2%

$300–500k

27.2%

$500k–$1M

9.0%

$1M+

1.1%

Gross Rent Distribution

< $500

4.6%

$500–1k

33.5%

$1–1.5k

42.0%

$1.5–2k

15.1%

$2–2.5k

3.4%

$2.5–3.5k

0.5%

$3.5k+

0.9%

Vehicle Availability

No vehicle

5.0%

1 vehicle

31.2%

2 vehicles

40.3%

23.5%

Housing Type

Single-fam. det.

65.3%

Single-fam. att.

7.3%

2–4 units

1.5%

5–19 units

3.9%

20+ units

12.6%

Mobile home

2.2%

Housing Age

Pre-1940

15.3%

1940–1969

3.5%

1970–1999

12.5%

2000–2009

15.3%

2010+

15.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Education

High School or Higher 93.5%

Bachelor's or Higher 39.1%

Graduate Degree 12.7%

Some College / Associate 19.0%

Less Than High School 3.1%

Enrolled in School —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Employment

Labor Force Participation 71.1%

Unemployment Rate 4.0%

Work from Home 14.3%

Self-Employed 5.1%

Government Workers 12.5%

Private For-Profit 82.3%

Industry

Edu/Health

21.3%

Finance

14.7%

Retail

10.9%

Prof. Services

10.7%

Manufacturing

9.3%

Construction

7.1%

Arts/Entmt.

6.9%

Transportation

4.9%

Public Admin

3.6%

Wholesale

2.8%

Information

1.6%

Agriculture

1.6%

Occupation

Management

45.4%

Sales

20.1%

Food Prep

13.8%

Production

12.4%

Construction

8.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Commute

Median Travel Time 20.8 min

Drove Alone 74.3%

Carpool 7.9%

Public Transit 0.5%

Work from Home 14.3%

Walked 1.6%

Bicycle —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Households & Families

Total Households 289,451

Avg. Household Size 2.00

Avg. Family Size —

Married-Couple Households 48.3%

Single-Mother Households —

Single-Father Households —

Living Alone —

Households with Children 21.2%

Multigenerational —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Age Distribution

Under 5

6.5%

5–9

7.1%

10–14

7.0%

15–19

6.6%

20–24

6.1%

25–34

14.3%

35–44

14.4%

45–54

12.1%

55–64

5.9%

65–74

5.8%

75–84

8.6%

85+

4.0%

Under 18: 24.8% Working age (18–64): 75.2% 65 and over: 14.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Social Characteristics

Immigration

Foreign Born 8.6%

Naturalized Citizen 47.2%

Speaks English Less Than Very Well 5.2%

Foreign-Born Origin

Asia

36.3%

Latin America

32.2%

Africa

18.9%

Europe

11.3%

Veterans & Disability

Veteran 6.2%

With a Disability 10.8%

Cognitive Difficulty —

Ambulatory Difficulty —

Health Insurance

Insured 95.5%

Uninsured 4.5%

Employer Insurance —

Medicaid —

Medicare —

Technology & Mobility

Broadband Internet 90.5%

Has a Computer 95.9%

Same House 1 Year Ago 86.1%

Moved from Abroad 0.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023