What it's like to live in Des Moines
Des Moines is a small city in Washington with household incomes running above 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 rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, unemployment above the national average, and commute times longer than most cities.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average unemployment
- Above-average commute times
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
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
$3,598
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $71,960 a year
- 67% of Des Moines renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$119,400
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $59,700
- Homes cost 6.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 27% above US
$1,799/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,799 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $597,000. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $597,000 · 67% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 26% above US
5.4% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.4%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 30% below US
231 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 2247/100k · Des Moines Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 18% above US
31 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 30.8 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 15% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 75°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 38°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
33% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 33% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
10 public schools inside the boundary
There are 10 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Wing Luke Museum Affiliated Area (14 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Des Moines's strongest point is household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,799/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and anyone moving without a job lined up.
Other places near Des Moines
All Washington guides →Not sure Des Moines is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.