West Des Moines, IA vs Des Moines, IA

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

MetricWest Des Moines, IADes Moines, IA
Population71,083212,421
Median Household Income$86,594$65,932
Median Rent$1,237/mo$1,090/mo
Median Home Value$309,000$194,700
Cost of Living (US = 100)9292
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income41.6%46.6%
Poverty Rate8.4%15%
Unemployment Rate3%4.2%
Violent Crime Rate /100k147642
Property Crime Rate /100k1,5292,838
Median AQI4444
Good AQI Days /yr224224
Summer Highs84°F84°F
Winter Lows17°F17°F
Snowfall37 in/yr37 in/yr
Avg Commute18.3 min19.5 min
Hospitals—4
Avg Hospital Rating—2.8 / 5
Students per Teacher15.315.9
College Degree Rate54.9%29.7%
Foreign-Born %10.9%14.2%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+8.0%-0.9%

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