Housing & Real Estate
Homes in Des Moines carry a median value of $194,700 (estimated market value runs 15% higher at $223,037), with median rent $1,090 (1.1× below Polk County median $1,149; 1.1× higher than Iowa median $972). Homeownership rate: 60.5%. That's 1.3× below the Polk County median ($262,100); 1.1× below the Iowa median ($208,000). Market is warm. Vacancy rate 7.6%. New construction makes up 9.2% of stock. 22 nursing facilities on file. A municipal building code is in effect.
- 3.0× annual income — home value vs. household income (vs Iowa 2.8×).
- 14.9 years to break even renting at the median (vs Iowa 16y).
- 4-BR rent is 1.7× a studio — rent gradient by unit size.
- Median rent 17% below HUD 2-BR FMR — local market vs federal subsidy benchmark.
Home Values & Rent
Median home value $194,700 — 1.0× the Iowa median ($187,100). Median rent $1,090/month. homeownership rate 60.5% — below the U.S. share of ~65%.
| Fair Market Rent · Studio rent | $1,063 (vs Iowa $774) |
|---|---|
| Fair Market Rent · One-bedroom rent | $1,109 (vs Iowa $816) |
| Fair Market Rent · Two-bedroom rent | $1,318 (vs Iowa $1,071) |
| Fair Market Rent · Three-bedroom rent | $1,794 (vs Iowa $1,490) |
| Fair Market Rent · Four-bedroom rent | $1,841 (vs Iowa $1,797) |
| Fair Market Rent · HUD FMR area | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area |
| Fair Market Rent · Fiscal year | FY2026 |
| Median Home Value | $194,700 (vs Iowa $187,100) |
| Median Rent | $1,090 (vs Iowa $967) |
Sources: HUD FMR FY2026 · Census ACS 5-Year 2023, B25077 · Census ACS 5-Year 2023 · Refreshed 2026-04-12
Utilities
Electricity, water, and broadband infrastructure serving residents. Broadband percentages reflect the share of premises that can subscribe to service at the listed speed (FCC Form 477).
Facilities (15)
Systems (5)
| Broadband · % of premises with 25/3 Mbps broadband | 100.0% (at Iowa median) |
|---|---|
| Broadband · % of premises with 100/20 Mbps broadband | 100.0% (at Iowa median) |
| Broadband · % of premises with 250/25 Mbps broadband | 100.0% (at Iowa median) |
| Broadband · % of premises with 1 Gbps / 100 Mbps broadband | 73.1% (at Iowa median) |
| Broadband · Broadband-capable premises | 104,410 |
| Electricity · Electricity rate (¢/kWh) | 13.40¢/kWh |
| Electricity · Customers | 1448818 |
| Electricity · Revenue Millions | $1,939 |
| Mobile Broadband · 3G mobile coverage | 0% |
| Mobile Broadband · 4G mobile coverage | 100% (at Iowa median) |
| Mobile Broadband · 5G mobile coverage | 100% (at Iowa median) |
Sources: FCC BDC Jun 2025 · EIA Annual Retail Sales 2023 · FCC BDC Mobile 2024 · EPA SDWIS — matched by city+state · Refreshed unknown