CITY · 2000 CENSUS
Des Moines
Iowa · 198,682 residents · 88.162 sq mi
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The short version
Des Moines has roughly average household income, with a median household income of $38,408. Population has held roughly steady since 1990. Median home value has risen by half since 1990, reaching $79,900.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Mid-age
median age 33.8
US median: 35.2
Average education
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01
Population & growth
Population, 1990 – 2024
2024212K
Age distribution, 2000
Under 57.5%(14,893)
5 to 97%(13,945)
10 to 146.6%(13,049)
15 to 196.7%(13,314)
20 to 247.6%(15,198)
25 to 3416.3%(32,450)
35 to 4415.5%(30,760)
45 to 5412.6%(25,037)
55 to 647.8%(15,477)
65 to 746%(11,934)
75 to 844.5%(9,008)
85 and over1.8%(3,617)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$38,408
+9%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $26,703 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Section 03
Housing
$79,900
+24%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $49,000 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
RELATED:See current rent listings in Des Moines on RentDataNow
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
1990
White, non-Hispanic89.3%(172,426)
Black7.1%(13,667)
Hispanic / Latino2.4%(4,550)
Asian2.3%(4,437)
2000
White, non-Hispanic79.6%(158,095)
Black8%(15,813)
Hispanic / Latino6.6%(13,138)
Asian3.5%(6,885)
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
83.0%
+2.0 ptssince 1990
from 81.0% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
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
Men 15+
Never married31.3%(23,354)
Married55.2%(41,235)
Widowed2.6%(1,962)
Divorced10.9%(8,173)
Women 15+
Never married25.5%(20,949)
Married50.3%(41,271)
Widowed10%(8,227)
Divorced14.2%(11,671)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Explore
Neighborhoods in Des Moines
BeaverdaleDrakeHighland ParkIndianola HillsLower BeaverMerle HaySouthwestern HillsWatrous SouthWaveland ParkNeighborhoods in Des Moines
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Des Moines, Iowa?
Des Moines, Iowa has about 198,682 residents according to the 2000 Census.
What is the median household income in Des Moines, Iowa?
The typical household in Des Moines, Iowa earns about $38,408 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 $79,900, and the typical rent is about $532 a month.
How educated are people in Des Moines, Iowa?
About 21.8% 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 11.4% of people in Des Moines, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Has Des Moines, Iowa grown since 1990?
Yes, Des Moines, Iowa has grown since 1990. The population has added about 5,495 residents, a change of about 3 percent over that period.
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IowaDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024