Des Moines' Livability
![](/assets/images/livability_b_minus.png)
-
C+
Affordability -
B
Housing -
C+
Job Market -
A-
Diversity -
C+
Crime -
A-
Commute -
D-
Education -
C
Weather -
A+
Amenities
About Des Moines, IA
Des Moines, IA is located in Polk County in the state of Iowa.
The total City Population for Des Moines is about 213,545 with about 943 people per square mile, and the larger Metro Area Population is about 514,654.
The Average Home Value is $149,034, which is roughly 11% higher than the Average Home Value of $132,435 for the state of Iowa, and roughly 31% lower than the National Average of $217,072.
The Median Income Per Household is about $58,444, which is roughly 10% lower than the Average Median Income Per Household of $65,122 for the state of Iowa, and roughly 10% lower higher than the National Average of $65,026.
Quick Stats
Demographic Details
Average # of People Per Household: 0.57Male Population Estimate: 49.1%
Female Population Estimate: 50.9%
Median Age: 34.2
Male Median Age: 7.9
Female Median Age: 8.3
Racial Demographic Estimates
Hispanic:14.6%
Black:11.2%
Asian:7.2%
Other:3.3%
Indian:0.3%
Hawaiian:0.1%
Voting
![Chuck Grassley](/assets/images/politicians/senators/chuck_grassley.jpg)
![Joni Ernst](/assets/images/politicians/senators/joni_ernst.jpg)
![Kim Reynolds](/assets/images/politicians/governors/kim_reynolds.jpg)
Voting Results by Party
Republican: 41.57%
Libertarian: 1.28%
Other: 0.44%
Green: 0.19%
Crime Details
NOTE: Crime is available at the County level so this doesn't necessarily represent the city of Des Moines specifically.
Average # of Homicides for Polk County: About 3.89435 per 100,000 People
(last recorded in 2021)
Average # of Violent Crimes for Polk County: About 391.856 per 100,000 People
(last recorded in 2021)
Polk County is about 1% lower than the national average of about 4 homicides per 100,000 people, and about 27% higher than the national average of about 288 violent crimes per 100,000 people.
Employment
The Unemployment Rate for Des Moines is about 5.8%.
Iowa is ranked #35 out of 52 for Best and Worst States to Work in America, with an overall score of 27.78 out of 100.
![](/assets/images/score_marker.png)
Wage Policies
Overall Wage Policy Score: 21.53The average living wage for the state of Iowa is $31.31/hr, while the states minimum wage is $7.25/hr, which can be set above the state standard, and is extended to farm workers. This gives Iowa a minimum wage score of 6.78 compared to all other states.
The minimum wage for tipped employees is $4.35/hr, which gives Iowa a minimum wage for tipped employees score of 48.44 compared to all other states.
The weekly unemployment (UI) benefit for Iowa is $179.52, resulting in a UI benefit score of 26.72 compared to all other states.
Worker Protection Policies
Overall Worker Protection Score: 71.43X Iowa does offer protections for workplace breastfeeding.
✓ Iowa does mandate equal pay across gender and race.
X Iowa does prohibit pay secrecy practices in the workplace.
X Iowa does restrict access to salary history to reduce gender and racial bias.
X Iowa does provide some form of paid family leave.
X Iowa does provide some form of paid sick leave.
X Iowa does not provide flexible scheduling of worker shifts.
X Iowa does not mandate pay reporting or "call-in" pay by employers.
X Iowa does not provide split shift pay regulation.
X Iowa does not provide workers advanced notice of shift scheduling.
✓ Iowa does provide some form of sexual harassment protection in state law.
✓ Iowa does extend workers compensation mandates to farmworkers.
X Iowa does not extend worker protections to domestic workers.
Right To Organize Policies
Overall Right To Organize Score: 70X Iowa does legalize project labor agreements to ensure a fair wage to workers on contract.
X Iowa does not protect workers against wage theft retaliation.
✓ Iowa does partially require collective bargaining for public workers.
✓ Iowa does provide collective bargaining for teachers.
✓ Iowa does provide wage negotiations for teachers.
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Nearby Location
- USPS BMC, IA ( 0.95 mi. )
- South Des Moines, IA ( 1.83 mi. )
- Allied Group, IA ( 1.91 mi. )
- American Republic, IA ( 1.94 mi. )
- Citigroup, IA ( 1.94 mi. )
- Citigroup Brm, IA ( 1.94 mi. )
- Equitable Life Assurance, IA ( 1.94 mi. )
- First Interstate Bank, IA ( 1.94 mi. )
- Hp Other, IA ( 1.94 mi. )
- Midamerican Energy, IA ( 1.94 mi. )
- Principal Financial, IA ( 1.94 mi. )
- State Of Iowa, IA ( 1.94 mi. )
- Visa Mastercard, IA ( 1.94 mi. )
- Wells Fargo Mortgage, IA ( 1.94 mi. )
- Communications Data Service, IA ( 1.95 mi. )
- HP-Proactive, IA ( 1.95 mi. )
- HP-SC/YE, IA ( 1.95 mi. )
- Capital Heights, IA ( 3.88 mi. )
- Risingsun, IA ( 3.88 mi. )
- HP Enterprise Services, IA ( 4.70 mi. )
- Windsor Hts, IA ( 5.04 mi. )
- Highland Park, IA ( 5.37 mi. )
- Saydel, IA ( 5.37 mi. )
- Avon, IA ( 5.43 mi. )
- Norwoodville, IA ( 5.55 mi. )
- Carbondale, IA ( 5.58 mi. )
- Windsor Heights, IA ( 5.73 mi. )
- Marquisville, IA ( 5.84 mi. )
- Lakewood, IA ( 5.89 mi. )
- Pleasant Hill, IA ( 6.03 mi. )
- Marsh Inc, IA ( 6.51 mi. )
- Avon Lake, IA ( 6.65 mi. )
- Norwalk, IA ( 7.09 mi. )
- Berwick, IA ( 7.23 mi. )
- Carlisle, IA ( 7.29 mi. )
- Scotch Ridge, IA ( 7.41 mi. )
- Saylorville, IA ( 7.54 mi. )
- White Oak, IA ( 8.09 mi. )
- Altoona, IA ( 8.60 mi. )
- West Des Moines, IA ( 8.90 mi. )
- Adventureland Estates, IA ( 9.09 mi. )
- Cumming, IA ( 9.68 mi. )
- Urbandale, IA ( 9.94 mi. )
- Johnston, IA ( 10.04 mi. )
- Clive, IA ( 10.11 mi. )
- Ivy, IA ( 10.17 mi. )
- Summerset, IA ( 10.32 mi. )
- Orillia, IA ( 10.72 mi. )
- W Des Moines, IA ( 10.72 mi. )
Additional Location Details
Zip Code(s): 50301, 50302, 50303, 50304, 50305, 50306, 50307, 50308, 50309, 50310, 50311, 50312, 50313, 50314, 50315, 50316, 50317, 50318, 50319, 50320, 50321, 50328, 50329, 50330, 50331, 50332, 50335, 50340, 50380, 50381, 50391, 50392, 50393, 50394, 50395, 50396, 50936, 50940, 50947, 50950, 50980, 50981, 50982, 50983 (44 Total Zip Codes)Latitude: 41.572500
Longitude: -93.610500
TimeZone: Central (GMT -06:00)
Daylight Saving: Yes
Region: Midwest
Average Elevation: 855.9 ft.
Area Code(s): 515, 712