Housing data for West Des Moines, IA
West Des Moines, IA has an estimated 71,083 residents and 34,006 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in Polk County.
42.6% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,237 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+8.3%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 71,083 (±123)
- Housing units
- 34,006 (±812)
- Households that rent
- 42.6%
- Median gross rent
- $1,237
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +8.3%
What stands out in West Des Moines
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 39.2% (±2.8 points) in West Des Moines, higher than in Polk County (23.8%).
Homes built before 1980: 27.6% (±2.3 points) in West Des Moines, lower than in Polk County (48.6%).
Households that rent: 42.6% (±2.3 points) in West Des Moines, higher than in Polk County (32.6%).
Median home value: $309,000 (±$10,613) in West Des Moines, higher than in Polk County ($262,100).
- Types of homes in West Des Moines
- Age of homes in West Des Moines
- Renters and owners in West Des Moines
- Home values in West Des Moines
Housing in West Des Moines at a glance
- Median rent: $1,237 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,239 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 42.8% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 42.6% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $86,594 median household income
- Home values: $309,000 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,845 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $4,711 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 39.2% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 48.5% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 27.6% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 5.1% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 60.4% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 18.3 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 147 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +8.3% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 35.2% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 1.6% of homes have more than 1 person per room
- Fair Market Rent: $1,640 Small Area FMR, 2 bedrooms (ZIP 50266)
West Des Moines against Polk County, its state and the nation
| West Des Moines | Polk County | Iowa | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 71,083 (±123) | 503,175 (exact) | 3,210,507 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 34,006 (±812) | 218,486 (±136) | 1,437,699 (±523) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 42.6% (±2.3 points) | 32.6% (±0.8 points) | 28.3% (±0.3 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,237 (±$30) | $1,149 (±$16) | $972 (±$6) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $86,594 (±$2,354) | $83,576 (±$1,283) | $75,059 (±$418) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $309,000 (±$10,613) | $262,100 (±$3,486) | $208,000 (±$1,141) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $4,711 (±$144) | $4,396 (±$57) | $2,897 (±$13) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 27.6% (±2.3 points) | 48.6% (±1.1 points) | 61.5% (±0.4 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 18.3 minutes (±0.8) | 20.0 minutes (±0.3) | 19.8 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 93.4% (±1.2 points) | 91.9% (±0.6 points) | 88.9% (±0.2 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 36.0 years (±1.1) | 36.2 years (±0.2) | 38.6 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
West Des Moines covers 47.5 square miles of land, about 1,497 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How West Des Moines has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 65,606 (±104) | 71,083 (±123) | +8.3% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 30,966 (±691) | 34,006 (±812) | +9.8% | Measurable increase |
| Median gross rent | $1,017 (±$36) | $1,237 (±$30) | +21.6% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $218,500 (±$6,347) | $309,000 (±$10,613) | +41.4% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $76,368 (±$3,298) | $86,594 (±$2,354) | +13.4% | Down after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,573 (±$45) | $1,845 (±$56) | +17.3% | Down after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $3,721 (±$100) | $4,711 (±$144) | +26.6% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 38.9% (±1.8 points) | 42.6% (±2.3 points) | +3.7 percentage points | Measurable increase |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.9% (±2.3 points) | 5.1% (±2.3 points) | −0.8 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in West Des Moines
In 2025, the West Des Moines Police Department reported 147 violent and 1,529 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across Polk County, the departments that report recorded 387 violent and 1,923 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in West Des Moines
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50266 | 100% | 37,523 | $1,331 | $345,600 | $87,025 |
| 50265 | 98% | 33,488 | $1,106 | $281,800 | $85,915 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near West Des Moines
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clive | 4.5 mi | $1,073 | $401,100 | 24.6% |
| Cumming | 4.6 mi | $1,163 | $508,000 | 12.4% |
| Windsor Heights | 5.2 mi | $1,498 | $267,900 | 21.3% |
| Waukee | 5.9 mi | $1,383 | $350,500 | 33.5% |
| Urbandale | 6.0 mi | $1,211 | $335,500 | 21.9% |
| Norwalk | 6.4 mi | $838 | $303,100 | 17.5% |
| Van Meter | 8.6 mi | $1,063 | $264,000 | 7.4% |
| Grimes | 8.9 mi | $1,251 | $304,700 | 29.1% |
Places in Iowa most like West Des Moines
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coralville | $1,057 | $298,500 | $69,144 | 44.1% |
| Iowa City | $1,094 | $285,900 | $58,546 | 52.8% |
| Okoboji | $942 | $299,300 | $73,000 | 32.5% |
| Ames | $1,023 | $277,400 | $60,991 | 57.9% |
| Johnston | $1,338 | $369,100 | $106,551 | 29.2% |
| Waukee | $1,383 | $350,500 | $101,029 | 33.5% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across Iowa.
HUD Fair Market Rent for West Des Moines, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,102 | $1,145 | $1,360 | $1,856 | $1,901 |
HUD also publishes a Small Area Fair Market Rent for each ZIP code in the area; the Fair Market Rent page for this place lists its ZIP codes.
HUD income limits for West Des Moines, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $24,450 | $40,750 | $65,200 |
| 2 people | $27,950 | $46,600 | $74,500 |
| 3 people | $31,450 | $52,400 | $83,800 |
| 4 people | $34,900 | $58,200 | $93,100 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $62,900 | $100,550 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $67,550 | $108,000 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $72,200 | $115,450 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $76,850 | $122,900 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $116,400.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about West Des Moines
What is the average rent in West Des Moines, IA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in West Des Moines is $1,237 (±$30) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in West Des Moines?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in West Des Moines, IA is $1,171 (±$58) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in West Des Moines rent-burdened?
42.8% of renting households in West Des Moines pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in West Des Moines?
West Des Moines has an estimated 13,742 (±872) renting households, 42.6% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in West Des Moines?
The median household income in West Des Moines is $86,594 (±$2,354) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in West Des Moines, IA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $309,000 (±$10,613) for owner-occupied homes in West Des Moines (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is West Des Moines growing?
In West Des Moines, the number of residents went from 65,606 in 2015–2019 to 71,083 in 2020–2024 (+8.3%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in West Des Moines?
The ZIP codes that cover West Des Moines are 50266, 50265.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 50266?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 50266 is $1,331 (±$31) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — West Des Moines city, Iowa
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — West Des Moines city, Iowa
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — West Des Moines city, Iowa
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — West Des Moines city, Iowa
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — West Des Moines city, Iowa
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — West Des Moines city, Iowa
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — West Des Moines city, Iowa
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: West Des Moines Police Department (ORI IA0770500)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for West Des Moines city, Iowa (place:83910, in state:19).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
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.
Figures last updated on .