United States › Iowa › Des Moines CITY · 2010 ACS
Des Moines Iowa · 203,433 residents · 88.2 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Des Moines is home to 203,433 people in Iowa. The typical home is worth $117,600. This skews young, with a median age of 33.5. The average commute runs 18 minutes. About 23% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Median household income is $44,178, under the $52,703 national median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Younger
median age 33.5
US median: 37.2
Less educated
23% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01
Population & growth from 33.8 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
191K 198K 205K 211K 218K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Des Moines Age distribution, 2010
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Section 02
Income & economy $44,178
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $38,408 in 2000
US average: $52,703
from $19,467 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
from 22.8% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
from 11.4% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Workforce by industry, 2010
Public administration 12.7%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.5%
Transportation & warehousing 3.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 3.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.7%
Education & health services 0.4%
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$117,600
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $79,900 in 2000
US average: $225,659
$673
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $532 in 2000
US average: $853
from 64.7% in 2000
37.2% rent
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
from 2.29 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
from 26.5% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
from 47.6% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
from 2.6 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 79.6%(158,095)
Hispanic / Latino 6.6%(13,138)
2010
White, non-Hispanic 70.5%(143,413)
Hispanic / Latino 12%(24,334)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 41 more ancestry groups with data from 21.8% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
from 83.0% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
from 6.5% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.5 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
from 78.3% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
from 9.1% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07
Work & employment from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
from 30.0% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08
People & community from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
from 9.3% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 44.2%(37,868)
Women 15+
Never married 38.1%(32,887)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
from 11.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 54.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 11.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 14.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 30.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 63.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
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)
Gulf War (1990s) 17.8%(1,458)
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.
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Explore
Neighborhoods in Des Moines Drill deeper
Places similar to Des Moines Head to head
Compare Des Moines to nearby cities DES MOINES VS
Pleasant Hill
Income $90,508 +105%
Home value $295,100 +151%
Population 11,239 −95%
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DES MOINES VS
Norwalk
Income $102,722 +133%
Home value $303,100 +158%
Population 15,004 −93%
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DES MOINES VS
Altoona
Income $86,114 +95%
Home value $274,600 +134%
Population 22,796 −89%
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DES MOINES VS
West Des Moines
Income $86,594 +96%
Home value $309,000 +163%
Population 74,224 −65%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Des Moines, Iowa? Des Moines, Iowa has about 203,433 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Des Moines, Iowa? The typical household in Des Moines, Iowa earns about $44,178 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 $117,600, and the typical rent is about $673 a month.
How educated are people in Des Moines, Iowa? About 23.4% 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 16.3% 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 10,246 residents, a change of about 5 percent over that period.
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