CITY · 1990 CENSUS
Des Moines
Iowa · 193,187 residents · 88.162 sq mi
Time machine
VIEWING
COMPARE TO
Part of the Des Moines metro area
The short version
Des Moines has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $26,703. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. Median home value is $49,000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 32.4
US median: 33.0
Average education
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 19%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01
Population & growth
Population, 1990 – 2024
2024212K
Age distribution, 1990
Under 57.8%(15,157)
5 to 96.8%(13,233)
10 to 146.2%(11,935)
15 to 196.6%(12,656)
20 to 248.7%(16,749)
25 to 3418.9%(36,488)
35 to 4414.4%(27,889)
45 to 549.1%(17,635)
55 to 648.1%(15,681)
65 to 747.3%(14,172)
75 to 844.6%(8,836)
85 and over1.4%(2,756)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$26,703
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $38,408 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Section 03
Housing
$49,000
−19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $79,900 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
RELATED:See current rent listings in Des Moines on RentDataNow
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic79.6%(158,095)
Black8%(15,813)
Hispanic / Latino6.6%(13,138)
Asian3.5%(6,885)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic89.3%(172,426)
Black7.1%(13,667)
Hispanic / Latino2.4%(4,550)
Asian2.3%(4,437)
Other1.4%(2,657)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.
Hispanic origin
Mexican11%(23,447)
Central American2.9%(6,250)
Salvadoran1.9%(3,984)
Puerto Rican0.9%(1,869)
Guatemalan0.5%(1,168)
Honduran0.4%(930)
Spaniard0.3%(627)
South American0.3%(590)
Cuban0.2%(491)
Colombian0.1%(202)
Dominican0.1%(181)
Ecuadorian0.1%(164)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Peruvian0.1%(119)
Nicaraguan0%(85)
Panamanian0%(60)
Argentine0%(37)
Venezuelan0%(35)
Chilean0%(33)
Costa Rican0%(9)
Asian origin
Burmese1.7%(3,529)
Vietnamese0.9%(1,876)
Laotian0.8%(1,656)
Nepalese0.6%(1,200)
Asian Indian0.4%(784)
Chinese0.3%(693)
Bhutanese0.3%(611)
Thai0.2%(389)
Filipino0.1%(306)
Korean0.1%(285)
Cambodian0.1%(264)
Kazakh0.1%(182)
+ 7 more asian origin groups with data
Hmong0.1%(177)
Sri Lankan0.1%(124)
Japanese0%(80)
Taiwanese0%(15)
Malaysian0%(15)
Indonesian0%(9)
Pakistani0%(5)
Pacific Islander origin
Marshallese0.1%(172)
Native Hawaiian0%(76)
Samoan0%(36)
Chamorro0%(34)
Tongan0%(15)
Guamanian0%(2)
Ancestry
German18.9%(40,183)
Irish12.4%(26,297)
English9.9%(20,951)
Subsaharan African4.4%(9,298)
Italian3.4%(7,165)
American3.2%(6,726)
Norwegian2.6%(5,442)
Dutch2.2%(4,672)
Swedish1.9%(3,997)
Scottish1.6%(3,490)
French1.4%(2,890)
Polish1.1%(2,441)
+ 46 more ancestry groups with data
Danish0.8%(1,725)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(1,665)
Welsh0.7%(1,451)
Czech0.7%(1,429)
Somali0.6%(1,219)
British0.4%(845)
Russian0.4%(768)
West Indian0.3%(704)
Ethiopian0.3%(640)
Croatian0.3%(632)
French Canadian0.3%(582)
Greek0.2%(440)
Nigerian0.2%(430)
Haitian0.2%(420)
Arab0.2%(404)
Swiss0.2%(371)
Kenyan0.1%(257)
Austrian0.1%(245)
Ukrainian0.1%(205)
Canadian0.1%(199)
Lithuanian0.1%(179)
Jamaican0.1%(170)
Slovak0.1%(154)
Lebanese0.1%(150)
Finnish0.1%(141)
Hungarian0.1%(137)
Romanian0.1%(118)
Belgian0%(96)
Latvian0%(95)
Iraqi0%(94)
Bulgarian0%(83)
Turkish0%(64)
Serbian0%(54)
Israeli0%(42)
Portuguese0%(40)
Australian0%(24)
Slovene0%(22)
Ghanaian0%(20)
Brazilian0%(18)
Trinidadian & Tobagonian0%(15)
Syrian0%(12)
Egyptian0%(9)
Moroccan0%(5)
Palestinian0%(5)
Armenian0%(5)
Iranian0%(5)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
81.0%
−2.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 83.0% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
No data for the years selected.
Section 08
People & community
No data for the years selected.
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married44.2%(37,868)
Married41.4%(35,413)
Widowed3%(2,585)
Divorced11.4%(9,765)
Women 15+
Never married38.1%(32,887)
Married40.1%(34,594)
Widowed8%(6,903)
Divorced13.7%(11,840)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Explore
Neighborhoods in Des Moines
BeaverdaleDrakeHighland ParkIndianola HillsLower BeaverMerle HaySouthwestern HillsWatrous SouthWaveland ParkNeighborhoods in Des Moines
Drill deeper
Places similar to Des Moines
Worcester
Pop 213,862
Grand Rapids
Pop 201,183
Fayetteville
Pop 209,120
Sunrise Manor
Pop 200,218
Places similar to Des MoinesHead to head
Compare Des Moines to nearby cities
DES MOINES VS
Pleasant Hill
Income$90,508+239%
Home value$295,100+502%
Population11,239−95%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DES MOINES VS
Norwalk
Income$102,722+285%
Home value$303,100+519%
Population15,004−93%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DES MOINES VS
Altoona
Income$86,114+222%
Home value$274,600+460%
Population22,796−89%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DES MOINES VS
West Des Moines
Income$86,594+224%
Home value$309,000+531%
Population74,224−65%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Des Moines, Iowa?
Des Moines, Iowa has about 193,187 residents according to the 1990 Census.
What is the median household income in Des Moines, Iowa?
The typical household in Des Moines, Iowa earns about $26,703 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Des Moines, Iowa expensive?
In Des Moines, Iowa, the median home is worth about $49,000, and the typical rent is about $408 a month.
How educated are people in Des Moines, Iowa?
About 18.9% of adults age 25 and over in Des Moines, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Des Moines, Iowa?
About 12.9% of people in Des Moines, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Keep going
Explore from here
Up the hierarchy
IowaDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024