West Des Moines

Population: 69,893
Median household income: $84,925
Median home value: $286,300

Located in Polk County, Iowa, West Des Moines is a community with a population of 69,893. At $84,925, its median household income sits above Polk County's $81,621.

From 2019 to 2023, West Des Moines's population grew 6.5% from 65,606 to 69,893, while its median home value rose 31.0% from $218,500 to $286,300.

54.6% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Owners occupy 57.4% of the area's occupied homes.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 69,893
Median age: 36.5 yrs
Median household income: $84,925
Median home value: $286,300
Median gross rent: $1,194
Housing units: 33,605
Homeownership rate: 57.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 54.6%
Unemployment rate: 2.5%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

65,60669,893

Median household income

$76,368$84,925

Median home value

$218,500$286,300

Median gross rent

$1,017$1,194

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	65,606	$76,368	$218,500	$1,017
2020	66,724	$74,159	$228,300	$1,058
2021	67,640	$76,564	$239,200	$1,062
2022	68,744	$82,345	$266,700	$1,153
2023	69,893	$84,925	$286,300	$1,194

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 55.9%

5 to 1715.3%

18 to 248.6%

25 to 3418.0%

35 to 4413.9%

45 to 5411.9%

55 to 6411.8%

65 to 748.3%

75 and over6.3%

	Count	Share
Under 5	4,114	5.9%
5 to 17	10,724	15.3%
18 to 24	5,998	8.6%
25 to 34	12,564	18.0%
35 to 44	9,718	13.9%
45 to 54	8,295	11.9%
55 to 64	8,252	11.8%
65 to 74	5,821	8.3%
75 and over	4,407	6.3%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	54,694	78.3%
Black or African American	2,484	3.6%
American Indian & Alaska Native	10	0.0%
Asian	5,065	7.2%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	314	0.4%
Two or more races	3,076	4.4%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	4,250	6.1%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma3.7%

High school graduate16.1%

Some college or associate's25.6%

Bachelor's degree35.7%

Graduate or professional degree18.9%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	1,833	3.7%
High school graduate	7,908	16.1%
Some college or associate's	12,537	25.6%
Bachelor's degree	17,504	35.7%
Graduate or professional degree	9,275	18.9%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 18 min

Drove alone71.9%

Carpooled7.8%

Public transit0.3%

Walked1.1%

Bicycle0.1%

Worked from home17.3%

Other means1.4%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	28,673	71.9%
Carpooled	3,107	7.8%
Public transit	115	0.3%
Walked	443	1.1%
Bicycle	48	0.1%
Worked from home	6,905	17.3%
Other means	568	1.4%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	12,020	36.5%
15 to 29 min	16,852	51.1%
30 to 44 min	2,801	8.5%
45 to 59 min	501	1.5%
60+ min	780	2.4%

Households

Average household size: 2.18
Poverty rate: 7.3% (5,057 of 69,461)

	Count	Share
Family households	16,900	53.1%
Nonfamily households	14,925	46.9%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1993

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	31,825	94.7%
Vacant	1,780	5.3%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	18,252	57.4%
Renter-occupied	13,573	42.6%

1-unit, detached44.8%

1-unit, attached11.9%

2 to 4 units2.0%

5 to 19 units18.0%

20 or more units22.5%

Mobile home & other0.9%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	15,063	44.8%
1-unit, attached	3,987	11.9%
2 to 4 units	657	2.0%
5 to 19 units	6,047	18.0%
20 or more units	7,548	22.5%
Mobile home & other	303	0.9%

Geography

Place GEOID: 1983910
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 47 sq mi
Water area: 0.98 sq mi
Center point: 41.5499, -93.7814