Des Moines vs Mercer Island
A side-by-side comparison of Des Moines and Mercer Island: population, income, housing, and more.
Des Moines and Mercer Island are places in Washington. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Des Moines has the higher population (32,545 vs 25,282 in Mercer Island). Mercer Island has the higher median household income ($202,359 vs $89,787 in Des Moines). Mercer Island has the higher median home value ($1,884,200 vs $539,800 in Des Moines).
Population, income & housing
| Des Moines | Mercer Island | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,545 | 25,282 |
| Median age | 37.5 yrs | 45.8 yrs |
| Median household income | $89,787 | $202,359 |
| Median home value | $539,800 | $1,884,200 |
| Median gross rent | $1,727 | $2,464 |
| Housing units | 12,740 | 10,454 |
| Homeownership rate | 60.8% | 66.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.2% | 78.8% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.2% | 2.5% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Des Moines | Mercer Island | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,734 → 32,545 (+2.6%) | 25,675 → 25,282 (-1.5%) |
| Median household income | $70,222 → $89,787 (+27.9%) | $147,566 → $202,359 (+37.1%) |
| Median home value | $359,100 → $539,800 (+50.3%) | $1,218,200 → $1,884,200 (+54.7%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,337 → $1,727 (+29.2%) | $2,162 → $2,464 (+14.0%) |
Des Moines
31,73432,545
$70,222$89,787
$359,100$539,800
$1,337$1,727
Mercer Island
25,67525,282
$147,566$202,359
$1,218,200$1,884,200
$2,162$2,464
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Des Moines | Mercer Island | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.8% | 3.9% |
| 5 to 17 | 14.6% | 18.2% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.6% | 6.0% |
| 25 to 34 | 15.6% | 8.3% |
| 35 to 44 | 15.1% | 12.1% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.8% | 16.8% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.3% | 13.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.1% | 9.9% |
| 75 and over | 8.0% | 11.1% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Des Moines | Mercer Island | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 45.9% | 65.3% |
| Black or African American | 10.8% | 1.4% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Asian | 12.0% | 22.2% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 1.6% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Two or more races | 8.4% | 8.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20.9% | 2.3% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Des Moines | Mercer Island | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 10.9% | 1.9% |
| High school graduate | 25.2% | 5.3% |
| Some college or associate's | 30.6% | 14.0% |
| Bachelor's degree | 22.2% | 38.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 11.0% | 40.5% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Des Moines | Mercer Island | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 70.1% | 51.6% |
| Carpooled | 8.4% | 4.6% |
| Public transit | 6.1% | 4.6% |
| Walked | 2.0% | 1.6% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Worked from home | 12.6% | 35.7% |
| Other means | 0.6% | 1.7% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Des Moines | Mercer Island | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 57.6% | 65.6% |
| 1-unit, attached | 2.0% | 0.4% |
| 2 to 4 units | 8.2% | 1.0% |
| 5 to 19 units | 15.6% | 8.0% |
| 20 or more units | 15.0% | 24.2% |
| Mobile home & other | 1.6% | 0.8% |
Poverty & households
| Des Moines | Mercer Island | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 10.7% | 4.6% |
| Average household size | 2.63 | 2.54 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 31 | 25 |
| Median year structure built | 1974 | 1973 |
Full profiles
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