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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

West Des Moines

Iowa · 31,695 residents · 47.3 sq mi
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The short version

With 31,695 people, West Des Moines is a city in Iowa. 42% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 20% nationally. Households here earn about 56% more than in Iowa as a whole. There are 14,708 fewer people here than in 2000. Poverty is uncommon here, at 3.3% of residents. The median household earns $41,045, about 36% above the national median.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 33.2
US median: 33.0
More educated
42% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 14%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
31,695
−32%vs 2000
vs 46,403 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
33.2
+1%vs 2000
vs 33.0 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
47.3 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
28K40K51K63K75K19902000201020202024West Des Moines
202471K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 56.6%(2,089)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 96.8%(2,171)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.3%(2,009)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 196%(1,888)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 247.8%(2,487)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3419.7%(6,244)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4416.3%(5,175)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5411.9%(3,778)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 647.9%(2,505)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 746.2%(1,956)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 843.1%(977)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.3%(416)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$41,045
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $54,139 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$21,503
−32%vs 2000
vs $31,405 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
3.3%
−1.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 4.5% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$90,100
−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $137,800 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$526
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $674 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
62.2%
+0.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 62.1% in 2000
37.8% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic91.1%(42,283)
Black1.8%(856)
Hispanic / Latino3%(1,404)
Asian2.7%(1,274)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic96.7%(30,635)
Black1.2%(388)
Hispanic / Latino2.4%(745)
Asian1.2%(387)
Other0.9%(285)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican4.3%(3,058)
Honduran0.5%(369)
Ecuadorian0.3%(211)
Puerto Rican0.3%(185)
Peruvian0.2%(159)
Salvadoran0.2%(136)
Venezuelan0.1%(90)
Cuban0.1%(87)
Colombian0.1%(75)
Spaniard0.1%(51)
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Asian Indian2.5%(1,769)
Chinese0.8%(575)
Vietnamese0.7%(494)
Korean0.5%(327)
Filipino0.3%(227)
Laotian0.3%(179)
Nepalese0.1%(102)
Burmese0.1%(76)
Indonesian0.1%(49)
Japanese0.1%(46)
Bangladeshi0.1%(46)
Kazakh0%(34)
+ 4 more asian origin groups with data
Thai0%(27)
Malaysian0%(20)
Hmong0%(14)
Pakistani0%(12)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German26.4%(18,791)
Irish16.1%(11,441)
English13%(9,273)
Norwegian5.1%(3,625)
Italian4.9%(3,478)
Swedish3.3%(2,376)
American3.2%(2,257)
Dutch2.4%(1,735)
Danish2.2%(1,567)
Scottish2.1%(1,518)
French1.7%(1,190)
+ 32 more ancestry groups with data
Polish1.5%(1,080)
Scotch-Irish0.9%(640)
Czech0.8%(573)
Arab0.8%(535)
Welsh0.7%(490)
Russian0.6%(447)
British0.5%(381)
Portuguese0.4%(281)
Ethiopian0.4%(262)
Ukrainian0.3%(227)
Finnish0.3%(211)
Romanian0.3%(208)
Egyptian0.3%(188)
Austrian0.2%(142)
Croatian0.2%(122)
Swiss0.1%(104)
Iraqi0.1%(93)
Nigerian0.1%(92)
Slovak0.1%(91)
Lebanese0.1%(89)
Lithuanian0.1%(82)
Belgian0.1%(45)
Greek0.1%(41)
Ghanaian0%(25)
Hungarian0%(23)
Serbian0%(20)
Armenian0%(14)
Brazilian0%(14)
Bulgarian0%(14)
Slovene0%(12)
Jordanian0%(10)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
41.8%
−6.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 48.5% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
94.8%
−1.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 96.3% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
12.3%
−1.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 14.1% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
15.7 min
+52%vs 2000
vs 10.3 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 married40%(11,438)
Married49.7%(14,223)
Widowed2.4%(676)
Divorced8%(2,293)
Women 15+
Never married34%(10,204)
Married44.5%(13,374)
Widowed9.2%(2,749)
Divorced12.3%(3,698)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
4.8%
−1.5 ptssince 2013
from 6.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
66.4%
−4.9 ptssince 2020
from 71.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.6%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 13.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
15.5%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 14.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
14.2%
+2.4 ptssince 2020
from 11.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.0%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 1.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
78.1%
−5.5 ptssince 2020
from 83.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
29.0%
+4.2 ptssince 2020
from 24.8% 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)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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in West Des Moines, Iowa?

West Des Moines, Iowa has about 31,695 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in West Des Moines, Iowa?

The typical household in West Des Moines, Iowa earns about $41,045 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is West Des Moines, Iowa expensive?

In West Des Moines, Iowa, the median home is worth about $90,100, and the typical rent is about $526 a month.

How educated are people in West Des Moines, Iowa?

About 41.8% of adults age 25 and over in West Des Moines, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in West Des Moines, Iowa?

About 3.3% of people in West 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 →