West Des Moines is a city of 71,083 people in Iowa. 55% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. Since 2000 the city has risen by half, up 24,680 people. Getting to work takes 18 minutes on average. 57% of homes are owner-occupied. People stay put here: 80% were in the same home a year ago.
At a glance
Wealthier
median household income $86,594, above the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.0
US median: 38.9
More educated
55% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about West Des Moines
What changed most since 1990
Population31,695 → 71,083(+124%)US over the same years: +35%
Poverty rate3.3% → 8.4%(+5.1 pts)US over the same years: −0.8 pts
Homes owned by their occupants62.2% → 57.4%(−4.8 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
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)31.2%(940)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)26.1%(787)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era22.5%(678)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.6%(138)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.8%(23)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 3,015 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
Over time
West Des Moines, decade by decade
West Des Moines population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
31,695
$98,511
$216,246
41.8%
12.0
2000
46,403
$98,623
$251,024
48.5%
20.9
2010
56,609
$92,037
$261,676
49.5%
34.0
2020
68,723
$89,884
$276,708
54.0%
50.3
2024
71,083
$86,594
$309,000
54.9%
48.6
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
