City safety & data profile

Des MoinesIA

Des Moines, IA is a 214K-resident city in Polk County with a median household income of $65,932.

Polk County, Iowa. Federal health, economic, and safety indicators for Des Moines, drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, CDC PLACES, and CMS Hospital Compare. Des Moines has a population larger than 98% of the 4,640 U.S. cities Areazine tracks, a median home value of $194,700, and 4 hospitals serving the surrounding area.

Data updated 2026-07-20

214K
Population
Top 2%
By size
$65,932
Median income
$194,700
Median home
15%
Poverty rate

The read on Des Moines

Des Moines posts a median household income higher than 31% of U.S. cities Areazine tracks, where 4 hospitals serve the Des Moines area.

Top 69%
by median income, US cities
4
hospitals in & near Des Moines

Where Des Moines income ranks nationally

Median household income vs. every place Areazine profiles (place-level ACS)

$65,932 Bottom 31% higher than 31% of 3,889 places Areazine profiles

$0–$20,000: 0 places Areazine profiles (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 71 places Areazine profiles (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 788 places Areazine profiles (20%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 1,055 places Areazine profiles (27%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 768 places Areazine profiles (20%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 515 places Areazine profiles (13%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 308 places Areazine profiles (8%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 171 places Areazine profiles (4%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 92 places Areazine profiles (2%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 47 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $220,000–$240,000: 18 places Areazine profiles (0%). Above this entry. $240,000–$260,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. IA $0 $260,000 every profiled place, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more places Areazine profiles. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (place-level) · 2024 ACS 5-year

The quick read

Reading Des Moines, IA beyond the headline numbers

Des Moines sits inside Polk County, Iowa, at roughly 41.60°N, -93.61°W. Population 214,133, $65,932 median household income. Median home value $194,700, median rent $1,090. Poverty rate 15%, read against that income figure since two cities on the same median can differ underneath it.

CDC PLACES: Des Moines's highest-prevalence health measure is obesity at 39.4%, then short sleep duration at 35.8%. 4 hospitals in/around Des Moines, 2.8/5 avg rating, 4 with an ER.

Sources: U.S. Census ACS, CDC PLACES, CMS Hospital Compare, plus live alerts for Des Moines from FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC. Comparison bars benchmark each metric against the national reference.

Population
214,133
Des Moines
Median Income
$65,932
-3% vs avg
Median Home Value
$194,700
-15% vs avg
Median Age
34.6
years

10-Year Trends 2013–2024

County-level trend (Polk County) - Des Moines's own historical series isn't separately published by the Census Bureau, so these year-over-year figures track the surrounding county, not the city alone.

20132024
Population
503K+15%
Median Income
$83,576+42%
Median Home Value
$262,100+70%
Poverty Rate
10.3%-13%
Unemployment
4.3%-31%

Economics

Economics indicators for Des Moines, IA
IndicatorValue
Median Rent
$1,090/mo
Poverty Rate
15% +6% vs avg
Unemployment 5.6%
Bachelor's Degree+ 29.7%
Work From Home 13.1%
Public Transit 0.8%

Population

White 64.1%
African American 11.3%
Asian 6.6%
Two or More Ethnicities 1.7%

Health Profile 15 measures

Health Indicators

Obesity
39.4%
Short Sleep Duration
35.8%
High Blood Pressure
32.8%
Physical Inactivity
28.8%
Binge Drinking
19.8%
Frequent Mental Distress
19%
Current Smoking
16.4%
Frequent Physical Distress
14.4%
Diabetes
11.8%
Lack of Health Insurance
10.6%

Preventive Care

Dental Visit 61.1%
Annual Checkup 74.5%

Other Measures

Current Asthma
10.3%
Coronary Heart Disease
6.1%
Stroke
3.3%

Hospitals 4 total

Rating Distribution
★★★★★
0
★★★★
1
★★★
2
★★
0
★
1
Average Rating
2.8/5
Total Hospitals
4
With ER
4
VA CENTRAL IOWA HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
DES MOINES · Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER
★★★★☆
UNITYPOINT HEALTH - DES MOINES IOWA METHODIST MEDI
DES MOINES · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★☆☆
BROADLAWNS MEDICAL CENTER
DES MOINES · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★☆☆
MERCYONE DES MOINES MEDICAL CENTER
DES MOINES · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★☆☆☆☆

Frequently Asked Questions 6

What is the population of Des Moines, IA? ▼
Des Moines, IA has a population of 214,133 people, located in Polk County, Iowa.
What is the median household income in Des Moines? ▼
The median household income in Des Moines, IA is $65,932 per year, per the U.S. Census ACS. The poverty rate is 15%.
What is the median home value in Des Moines? ▼
The median home value in Des Moines, IA is $194,700. Median rent is $1,090/month.
What are the top health concerns in Des Moines? ▼
The top health indicators in Des Moines include Obesity (39.4%), Short Sleep Duration (35.8%), High Blood Pressure (32.8%). Data from CDC PLACES.
How many hospitals are in Des Moines? ▼
Des Moines has 4 hospitals with an average rating of 2.8/5 stars. 4 have emergency departments.
What is the median age in Des Moines? ▼
The median age in Des Moines, IA is 34.6 years. 29.7% of residents have a bachelor's degree or higher.

Safety Context

Des Moines, IA is located in Polk County, Iowa. With a population of 214K and a $65,932 median household income, the community faces health challenges including obesity and short sleep duration. Residents have access to 4 hospitals with an average rating of 2.8/5 stars. Safety alerts for the Des Moines area are monitored from federal and state agencies including FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC.

Safety Guides

How Product Recalls Work

CPSC, FDA & NHTSA recall process explained

Understanding Weather Alerts

Watch vs warning vs advisory explained

Earthquake Magnitude Explained

What the numbers mean & when to act
All safety guides →

Primary source data

EPA Outdoor Air Quality Data

Federal monitoring network, every measurement we report

AirNow - Iowa

Real-time AQI for every monitored Iowa location

National Weather Service

NOAA active watches, warnings, advisories

CDC Air Quality & Health

Health-impact reference for every AQI category

EPA NAAQS standards

National Ambient Air Quality Standards, the regulatory thresholds

Nearby Cities 8

West Des Moines, IA 64K Urbandale, IA 44K Johnston, IA 21K Clive, IA 15K Ankeny, IA 57K Norwalk, IA 10K Altoona, IA 17K Grimes, IA 11K
All cities in Iowa → Compare Des Moines vs West Des Moines → All comparisons → Browse all cities

Using Des Moines's profile

Use this as a starting research checklist, not a verdict on whether to live here.

  • Check live recalls, weather and hazard alerts scoped to the Des Moines area before relying on national headlines. Check your area
  • Read the poverty rate alongside the income figure, two places with the same median can have very different realities.
  • Compare Des Moines against Iowa peers on any ranking lens. Explore Iowa

Population and economics (income, home value, poverty, education) are place-level U.S. Census ACS; health is CDC PLACES; hospital counts reflect facilities in and around the city.

Data Sources

All data on this page comes from official U.S. government sources. Population and economic data from the Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates, place geography). Health data from the CDC PLACES program (2023). Hospital ratings from CMS Hospital Compare (2024). Climate data from NOAA. Education data from NCES. Cost of living from Bureau of Economic Analysis. Crime statistics, where referenced on Areazine, originate from the FBI Crime Data Explorer. Housing market figures referenced on Areazine come from HUD Fair Market Rents. Census economics and population are at place geography; some health and hospital indicators are reported at the county level (Polk County) where that is the smallest published unit.

Every figure on Areazine is published directly from official U.S. government sources, no number is typed in by an editor. City demographic and health figures are compiled directly from U.S. Census, CDC, and CMS releases, updated quarterly within 30 days of upstream release. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.