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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Des Moines

Iowa · 193,187 residents · 88.2 sq mi
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The short version

Des Moines is a city of 193,187 people in Iowa. The typical home is worth $49,000. Getting to work takes 16 minutes on average. Median household income is $26,703, under the $30,130 national median. About 19% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The population has held roughly steady since 2000.

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

Total population
193,187
−3%vs 2000
vs 198,682 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
32.4
−4%vs 2000
vs 33.8 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
88.2 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
191K198K205K211K218K19902000201020202024Des Moines
2024212K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 57.8%(15,157)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 96.8%(13,233)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.2%(11,935)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 196.6%(12,656)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 248.7%(16,749)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3418.9%(36,488)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4414.4%(27,889)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 549.1%(17,635)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 648.1%(15,681)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 747.3%(14,172)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 844.6%(8,836)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.4%(2,756)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$26,703
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $38,408 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$13,710
−30%vs 2000
vs $19,467 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
12.9%
+1.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 11.4% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$49,000
−19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $79,900 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$408
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $532 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
62.0%
−2.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 64.7% in 2000
38.0% rent
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)
Cuban0.2%(491)
Colombian0.1%(202)
Dominican0.1%(181)
Ecuadorian0.1%(164)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Peruvian0.1%(119)
Argentine0%(37)
Chilean0%(33)
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)
Pacific Islander origin
Marshallese0.1%(172)
Samoan0%(36)
Chamorro0%(34)
Tongan0%(15)
Ancestry
German18.9%(40,183)
Irish12.4%(26,297)
English9.9%(20,951)
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)
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)
Slovene0%(22)
Ghanaian0%(20)
Brazilian0%(18)
Syrian0%(12)
Iranian0%(5)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
18.9%
−2.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 21.8% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
81.0%
−2.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 83.0% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
6.0%
−0.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 6.5% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
15.9 min
+51%vs 2000
vs 10.5 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
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
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
7.2%
−4.1 ptssince 2013
from 11.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
52.4%
−1.6 ptssince 2020
from 54.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
10.4%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 11.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
14.5%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 14.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
30.5%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 30.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.2%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 2.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
60.9%
−2.7 ptssince 2020
from 63.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
42.4%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 42.1% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)24.5%(2,003)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)17.8%(1,458)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era31%(2,537)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.6%(455)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.4%(113)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 8,179 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Head 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%
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DES MOINES VS
Altoona
Income$86,114+222%
Home value$274,600+460%
Population22,796−89%
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DES MOINES VS
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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.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →