What kinds of homes are in Des Moines, WA?

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

Des Moines, WA has 12,528 (±575) homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is about 1,953 homes per square mile of land.

56.3% are detached single-family houses.

7.9% are in buildings of two to four units.

31.5% are in buildings of five or more units.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Housing units: 12,528 (±575)
Detached houses: 56.3%
2–4 unit buildings: 7.9%
5+ unit buildings: 31.5%

Homes in Des Moines by building size

Housing units by units in structure, 2020–2024
Building type	Des Moines	King County	Washington	United States
Single-family, detached	56.3% (±3.3 points)	50.0%	61.9%	61.3%
Single-family, attached (townhouse, rowhouse)	2.1% (±1.0 points)	5.4%	4.4%	6.2%
2 units	1.8% (±1.0 points)	1.6%	2.3%	3.4%
3 or 4 units	6.1% (±2.4 points)	3.8%	3.5%	4.3%
5 to 9 units	6.8% (±2.6 points)	5.7%	4.3%	4.5%
10 to 19 units	7.2% (±2.1 points)	6.7%	4.9%	4.3%
20 or more units	17.5% (±3.0 points)	25.2%	13.0%	10.3%
Mobile home	2.2% (±0.9 points)	1.4%	5.5%	5.6%
Boat, RV, van, etc.	0.0% (±0.3 points)	0.1%	0.3%	0.1%

In Des Moines, the share of homes in buildings of five or more units is lower than in King County (37.6%).

It is also higher than in Washington (22.2%).

It is higher than the national figure (19.1%).

Homes in buildings of 5 or more units in places near Des Moines

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Des Moines
Place	Distance	Homes in buildings of 5 or more units	Compared with this place
Des Moines	—	31.5% (±4.5 points)	—
Normandy Park	3.3 mi	14.0% (±5.6 points)	Lower
SeaTac	3.9 mi	42.9% (±6.4 points)	Higher
Lakeland North	3.9 mi	9.2% (±3.7 points)	Lower
Kent	4.9 mi	33.9% (±2.3 points)	Not measurably different
Federal Way	5.4 mi	33.1% (±2.8 points)	Not measurably different
Burien	6.1 mi	34.1% (±3.4 points)	Not measurably different
Tukwila	6.4 mi	52.7% (±6.9 points)	Higher
Vashon	6.6 mi	5.2% (±2.8 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Normandy Park, WA (14.0%), Lakeland North, WA (9.2%), Vashon, WA (5.2%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: SeaTac, WA (42.9%), Tukwila, WA (52.7%).

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

Homes in buildings of 5 or more units across King County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes in buildings of 5 or more units
9	Kirkland	36.3% (±2.2 points)
10	Newcastle	36.2% (±4.4 points)
11	Burien	34.1% (±3.4 points)
12	Kent	33.9% (±2.3 points)
13	Renton	33.2% (±2.6 points)
14	Federal Way	33.1% (±2.8 points)
15 (tie)	Des Moines	31.5% (±4.5 points)
15 (tie)	Mercer Island	31.5% (±3.3 points)
17	Bothell	28.7% (±2.7 points)
18	Bryn Mawr-Skyway	27.6% (±6.0 points)
19	Shoreline	26.8% (±2.1 points)
20	Kenmore	26.1% (±4.6 points)
21	Auburn	25.7% (±2.1 points)

Showing 13 of 59 places in King 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 many homes are in Des Moines?

Des Moines, WA has an estimated 12,528 (±575) housing units, occupied and vacant (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Are most homes in Des Moines houses or apartments?

56.3% are detached houses and 2.1% attached houses, while 39.4% are in buildings of two or more units.

How many two-family and small multifamily homes are in Des Moines?

7.9% of homes in Des Moines are in buildings of two to four units, the small rental buildings that are often owner-occupied.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Des Moines city, Washington

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 Des Moines city, Washington (place:17635, in state:53).

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.

DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0007PE, DP04_0007PM, DP04_0008PE, DP04_0008PM, DP04_0009PE, DP04_0009PM, DP04_0010PE, DP04_0010PM, DP04_0011PE, DP04_0011PM, DP04_0012PE, DP04_0012PM, DP04_0013PE, DP04_0013PM, DP04_0014PE, DP04_0014PM, DP04_0015PE, DP04_0015PM

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.