West Des Moines
IAPolk County, Iowa
Population 493K |Median income $78,827 |5 hospitals
Population
493,378
Polk County
Median Income
$78,827
+25% vs avg
Median Home Value
$232,000
+19% vs avg
Median Age
36.1
years
10-Year Trends 2013–2023
20132023
Population
497K+13%
Median Income
$81,621+38%
Median Home Value
$248,400+61%
Poverty Rate
10.1%-14%
Unemployment
4.4%-29%
Economics
Median Rent $1,060/mo
Poverty Rate
10.3% -28% vs avg
Unemployment 4.5%
Bachelor's Degree+ 38.9%
Work From Home 12.4%
Public Transit 0.8%
Demographics
White 79.8%
Hispanic or Latino 8.9%
African American 7.3%
Asian 4.9%
Health Profile 15 measures
Health Indicators
Obesity
37%
Short Sleep Duration
35%
High Blood Pressure
31.2%
Physical Inactivity
23.7%
Binge Drinking
20.9%
Frequent Mental Distress
17.2%
Current Smoking
13.3%
Frequent Physical Distress
12.5%
Diabetes
10.1%
Current Asthma
9.8%
Preventive Care
Annual Checkup 75.3%
Dental Visit 63.9%
Other Measures
Lack of Health Insurance
7.5%
Coronary Heart Disease
5.5%
Stroke
2.8%
Public Safety 2022 data
Violent Crime Rate
248 per 100k
-30% vs avg Avg: 355
Property Crime Rate
1442 per 100k
-27% vs avg Avg: 1,985
Offenses by Type (per 100k residents)
Aggravated Assault
222.2
Homicide
2.0
Robbery
24.2
Burglary
237.3
Larceny-Theft
1037.1
Motor Vehicle Theft
167.9
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer, UCR Summary (2022). State-level rates applied to county.
Hospitals 5 total
Rating Distribution
★★★★★ 0
★★★★ 1
★★★ 1
★★ 2
★ 0
Average Rating
2.8/5
Total Hospitals
5
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
★★★☆☆
MERCYONE DES MOINES MEDICAL CENTER
DES MOINES · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★☆☆☆
BROADLAWNS MEDICAL CENTER
DES MOINES · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★☆☆☆
Alerts & News — West Des Moines Area 6
Weather Alerts high
Winter Storm Warning Issued for Yosemite National Park and Upper San Joaquin River Through Wednesday Afternoon
NOAA · 2h ago
Earthquakes
M 3.3 Earthquake Recorded Near Petrolia, California
USGS · 4h ago
Disasters high
FEMA Issues Emergency Declaration for Louisiana Following Severe Winter Storm
FEMA · 10h ago
Earthquakes high
M 4.2 Earthquake Strikes Near Delta, Baja California, Mexico
USGS · 10h ago
Earthquakes
Minor 3.7 Magnitude Earthquake Reported Near Delta, Baja California, Mexico
USGS · 10h ago
Earthquakes
Minor 3.2 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Near Delta, Baja California, Mexico
USGS · 10h ago
Nearby Cities 8
Data Sources
All data on this page comes from official U.S. government sources. Demographics and economic data from the Census Bureau American Community Survey (2022 5-year estimates). Health data from the CDC PLACES program (2023). Hospital ratings from CMS Hospital Compare (2024). Data is county-level (Polk County) as the smallest consistent geographic unit across all sources.