How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in Des Moines, IA?

Name: Rent by bedrooms in Des Moines, IA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

In Des Moines, IA, the median gross rent for a two-bedroom home is $1,134 (±$19) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey, table B25031).

A one-bedroom home rents for a median of $894 (±$31).

A three-bedroom home rents for a median of $1,414 (±$46).

HUD’s fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area is $1,360.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Studio: $878 (±$56)
1 bedroom: $894 (±$31)
2 bedrooms: $1,134 (±$19)
3 bedrooms: $1,414 (±$46)

Rent by bedroom count in Des Moines

Median gross rent by number of bedrooms, estimate (90% margin of error)
	Des Moines	Polk County	Iowa	United States
Studio	$878 (±$56)	$926 (±$59)	$799 (±$28)	$1,248
1 bedroom	$894 (±$31)	$963 (±$28)	$770 (±$8)	$1,235
2 bedrooms	$1,134 (±$19)	$1,169 (±$17)	$989 (±$6)	$1,407
3 bedrooms	$1,414 (±$46)	$1,497 (±$49)	$1,201 (±$19)	$1,584
4 bedrooms	$1,490 (±$204)	$1,605 (±$244)	$1,258 (±$45)	$1,957
5 or more bedrooms	$1,884 (±$269)	$1,834 (±$343)	$1,208 (±$82)	$2,074

A median for a bedroom size is published only where enough renting households of that size were surveyed; a dash means the Census Bureau did not publish one.

Census rents against HUD’s Fair Market Rent, fiscal year 2027

Dollars a month; the Fair Market Rent is for the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area
	Census median, this place	HUD Fair Market Rent
1 bedroom	$894 (±$31)	$1,145
2 bedrooms	$1,134 (±$19)	$1,360
3 bedrooms	$1,414 (±$46)	$1,856

A Fair Market Rent is HUD’s estimate of the gross rent of a modest rental home across the whole HUD area, set for the voucher program; the Census median is what renting households in this place reported paying.

The two answer different questions and are not expected to match.

Median gross rent, 2 bedrooms in places near Des Moines

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Des Moines
Place	Distance	Median gross rent, 2 bedrooms	Compared with this place
Des Moines	—	$1,134 (±$19)	—
Pleasant Hill	5.7 mi	$1,107 (±$75)	Not measurably different
Windsor Heights	5.7 mi	$1,639 (±$376)	Higher
Carlisle	7.1 mi	$930 (±$252)	Not measurably different
Norwalk	7.6 mi	$888 (±$122)	Lower
Altoona	8.6 mi	$1,256 (±$216)	Not measurably different
West Des Moines	9.0 mi	$1,239 (±$38)	Higher
Urbandale	9.8 mi	$1,145 (±$56)	Not measurably different
Clive	10 mi	$1,071 (±$196)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Norwalk, IA ($888).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Windsor Heights, IA ($1,639), West Des Moines, IA ($1,239).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Median gross rent, 2 bedrooms across Polk County, place by place

Rank	Place	Median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
3	Grimes	$1,322 (±$134)
4	Ankeny	$1,304 (±$72)
5	Bondurant	$1,289 (±$137)
6	Altoona	$1,256 (±$216)
7	West Des Moines	$1,239 (±$38)
8	Urbandale	$1,145 (±$56)
9	Des Moines	$1,134 (±$19)
10	Pleasant Hill	$1,107 (±$75)
11	Clive	$1,071 (±$196)
12	Runnells	$850 (±$237)
13	Mitchellville	$836 (±$78)
14	Polk City	$773 (±$89)

Showing 12 of 14 places in Polk County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Des Moines

How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Des Moines?

The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Des Moines, IA is $894 (±$31) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How much is a two-bedroom apartment in Des Moines?

The median gross rent for a two-bedroom home in Des Moines, IA is $1,134 (±$19) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How much does a three-bedroom rental cost in Des Moines?

The median gross rent for a three-bedroom home in Des Moines, IA is $1,414 (±$46) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Des Moines city, Iowa (place:21000, in state:19).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

B25031_002E, B25031_002M, B25031_003E, B25031_003M, B25031_004E, B25031_004M, B25031_005E, B25031_005M, B25031_006E, B25031_006M, B25031_007E, B25031_007M

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.