United States › Iowa › Des Moines County COUNTY
Des Moines County Iowa · 38,077 residents (2025 est.) · 416 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Des Moines County is home to 38,487 people in Iowa. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $136,500. 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The foreign-born share is 2%. 75% of homes are owner-occupied. At a median age of 42.3, this is an older place than the country as a whole.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 42,351 in 2000
38,077 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 98 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
38K 39K 41K 42K 43K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Des Moines County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $62,928
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,790 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $19,701 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 22.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 10.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.430 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 4.5%
Public administration 3.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.6%
Transportation & warehousing 2.4%
Education & health services 0.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.6%
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$136,500
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $69,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$904
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $439 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 74.2% in 2000
25.4% rent
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.35 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 41.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.1 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.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 92.8%(39,308)
Hispanic / Latino 1.7%(740)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 84.5%(32,523)
Hispanic / Latino 3.7%(1,415)
from 21 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 34 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 29 more ancestry groups with data from 16.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 85.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 82.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 6.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 63.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 77.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 27.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 9.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 74.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 85.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 9.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 53.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 17.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 24.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 68.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 43.7% 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) 14.8%(360)
Gulf War (1990s) 20.9%(508)
Share of the 2,425 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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Drill deeper
Places similar to Des Moines County Head to head
Compare Des Moines County to nearby counties DES MOINES COUNTY VS
Henderson County
Income $62,227 −1%
Home value $104,400 −24%
Population 5,984 −84%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DES MOINES COUNTY VS
Henry County
Income $67,436 +7%
Home value $164,300 +20%
Population 19,349 −49%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DES MOINES COUNTY VS
Louisa County
Income $77,354 +23%
Home value $150,100 +10%
Population 10,416 −73%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DES MOINES COUNTY VS
Lee County
Income $62,382 −1%
Home value $141,400 +4%
Population 32,306 −15%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Des Moines County, Iowa? Des Moines County, Iowa has about 38,487 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Des Moines County, Iowa? The typical household in Des Moines County, Iowa earns about $62,928 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Des Moines County, Iowa expensive? In Des Moines County, Iowa, the median home is worth about $136,500, and the typical rent is about $904 a month.
How educated are people in Des Moines County, Iowa? About 23.8% of adults age 25 and over in Des Moines County, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Des Moines County, Iowa? About 12.8% of people in Des Moines County, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Has Des Moines County, Iowa grown since 1990? Yes, Des Moines County, Iowa has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 4,127 residents, a change of about -10 percent over that period.
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