What is the rental vacancy rate in West Des Moines, IA?

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

The rental vacancy rate in West Des Moines, IA is 5.1% (±2.3 points) (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

The homeowner vacancy rate is 0.2% (±0.3 points).

1,773 (±471) homes, 5.2% of all housing units, were vacant, a count that includes seasonal homes and homes being sold or rented.

In West Des Moines, the rental vacancy rate went from 5.9% in 2015–2019 to 5.1% in 2020–2024 (−0.8 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Rental vacancy rate: 5.1% (±2.3 points)
Homeowner vacancy rate: 0.2% (±0.3 points)
Vacant homes: 1,773 (±471)

Vacancy in West Des Moines against Polk County, its state and the nation

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	West Des Moines	Polk County	Iowa	United States
Rental vacancy rate	5.1% (±2.3 points)	5.5% (±0.8 points)	5.7% (±0.3 points)	5.5%
Homeowner vacancy rate	0.2% (±0.3 points)	0.5% (±0.2 points)	0.8% (±0.1 points)	0.9%
Vacant housing units	1,773 (±471)	13,128 (±1,160)	121,992 (±3,789)	14,547,859

The rental vacancy rate is the share of rental homes that are vacant and for rent; it leaves out homes already rented but not yet moved into, and seasonal homes.

In West Des Moines, the rental vacancy rate is not measurably different from Polk County (5.5%).

It is not measurably different from Iowa (5.7%).

It is not measurably different from the national figure (5.5%).

Rental vacancy rate in places near West Des Moines

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with West Des Moines
Place	Distance	Rental vacancy rate	Compared with this place
West Des Moines	—	5.1% (±2.3 points)	—
Clive	4.5 mi	6.1% (±4.2 points)	Not measurably different
Cumming	4.6 mi	0.0% (±53.1 points)	Not measurably different
Windsor Heights	5.2 mi	0.0% (±5.1 points)	Not measurably different
Waukee	5.9 mi	7.1% (±4.2 points)	Not measurably different
Urbandale	6.0 mi	7.9% (±3.3 points)	Not measurably different
Norwalk	6.4 mi	8.1% (±10.0 points)	Not measurably different
Van Meter	8.6 mi	0.0% (±42.8 points)	Not measurably different
Grimes	8.9 mi	1.7% (±2.0 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Grimes, IA (1.7%).

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

Rental vacancy rate across Polk County, place by place

Rank	Place	Rental vacancy rate
1	Pleasant Hill	14.2% (±14.5 points)
2	Elkhart	12.0% (±17.8 points)
3	Johnston	10.0% (±5.7 points)
4	Urbandale	7.9% (±3.3 points)
5	Ankeny	7.7% (±3.5 points)
6	Clive	6.1% (±4.2 points)
7	West Des Moines	5.1% (±2.3 points)
8	Des Moines	5.0% (±1.1 points)
9	Altoona	2.6% (±3.4 points)
10	Grimes	1.7% (±2.0 points)
11 (tie)	Bondurant	0.0% (±9.0 points)
11 (tie)	Mitchellville	0.0% (±14.6 points)
11 (tie)	Polk City	0.0% (±10.0 points)

Showing 13 of 16 places in Polk County, ranked from highest to lowest.

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

Is it hard to find a rental in West Des Moines?

The rental vacancy rate in West Des Moines, IA is 5.1% (±2.3 points); a low rate means few rental homes stand empty and for rent at any time, which usually means more competition for each one.

Is the rental market in West Des Moines tighter than it was?

In West Des Moines, the rental vacancy rate went from 5.9% in 2015–2019 to 5.1% in 2020–2024 (−0.8 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How many homes are vacant in West Des Moines?

An estimated 1,773 (±471) housing units, 5.2% of the total, including seasonal homes and homes waiting to be sold or rented.

Sources

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 DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M, DP04_0004E, DP04_0004M, DP04_0003E, DP04_0003M, DP04_0003PE, DP04_0003PM

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.