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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

Des Moines

Iowa · 198,682 residents · 88.2 sq mi
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The short version

Des Moines is a city of 198,682 people in Iowa. The typical home is worth $79,900, having risen by half since 1990. Getting to work takes 11 minutes on average. About 22% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Households earn $38,408 at the median, near the US median. The population has held roughly steady since 1990.

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

Total population
198,682
+3%since 1990
from 193,187 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
33.8
+4%since 1990
from 32.4 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
88.2 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
191K198K205K211K218K19902000201020202024Des Moines
2024212K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 57.5%(14,893)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 97%(13,945)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.6%(13,049)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 196.7%(13,314)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 247.6%(15,198)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3416.3%(32,450)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4415.5%(30,760)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5412.6%(25,037)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 647.8%(15,477)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 746%(11,934)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 844.5%(9,008)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.8%(3,617)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$38,408
+9%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $26,703 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$19,467
+42%since 1990
from $13,710 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
11.4%
−1.5 ptssince 1990
from 12.9% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$79,900
+24%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $49,000 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$532
−1%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $408 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
64.7%
+2.7 ptssince 1990
from 62.0% in 1990
35.3% rent
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)
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
21.8%
+2.9 ptssince 1990
from 18.9% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
83.0%
+2.0 ptssince 1990
from 81.0% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
6.5%
+0.5 ptssince 1990
from 6.0% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
10.5 min
−34%since 1990
from 15.9 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
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
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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Neighborhoods in Des Moines

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Head to head

Compare Des Moines to nearby cities

DES MOINES VS
Pleasant Hill
Income$90,508+136%
Home value$295,100+269%
Population11,239−95%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DES MOINES VS
Norwalk
Income$102,722+167%
Home value$303,100+279%
Population15,004−93%
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DES MOINES VS
Altoona
Income$86,114+124%
Home value$274,600+244%
Population22,796−89%
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DES MOINES VS
West Des Moines
Income$86,594+125%
Home value$309,000+287%
Population74,224−65%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
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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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →