Des Moines, IA vs Newton, IA

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricDes Moines, IANewton, IA
Population212,42115,700
Median Household Income$65,932$57,771
Median Rent$1,090/mo$819/mo
Median Home Value$194,700$153,700
Cost of Living (US = 100)9292
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income46.6%50%
Poverty Rate15%11.1%
Unemployment Rate4.2%3.6% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k642319
Property Crime Rate /100k2,8381,338
Median AQI44—
Good AQI Days /yr224—
Summer Highs84°F83°F
Winter Lows17°F14°F
Snowfall37 in/yr29 in/yr
Avg Commute19.5 min22.3 min
Hospitals41
Avg Hospital Rating2.8 / 54.0 / 5
Students per Teacher15.914.8
College Degree Rate29.7%19.5%
Foreign-Born %14.2%5.2%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-0.9%-0.1%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.