What it's like to live in Des Moines
Des Moines is a large city in Iowa with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Des Moines deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and hospital ratings below the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- Below-average hospital ratings
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 37" per year
How Des Moines compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Des Moines
Based on Des Moines's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,180
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $43,600 a year
- 47% of Des Moines renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$38,940
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $19,470
- Homes cost 3.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 23% below US
$1,090/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,090 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $194,700. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $194,700 · 47% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.2% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.2%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 95% above US
642 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 2838/100k · Des Moines Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 25% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.5 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 84°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 17°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
4 hospitals
There are 4 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 2.8 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 18% below US
30% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 30%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
59 public schools inside the boundary
There are 59 public schools inside the boundary and 12 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Bottom line
Des Moines's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,090/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Des Moines
All Iowa guides →Moving to Pleasant Hill →
6 mi away · pop. 11,136
Rent $1,215/mo · Income $90,508
Compare with Des Moines →Moving to West Des Moines →
9 mi away · pop. 71,083
Rent $1,237/mo · Income $86,594
Compare with Des Moines →Not sure Des Moines is the one?
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