Des Moines County, Iowa Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Des Moines County, IA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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C
Income Below averageLess wealthy than 80% of counties in Iowa
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Des Moines County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,487 | 3,204,793 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 89.6 | 57.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.52% | 0.41% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 43.0 | 36.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 17,178 | 1,308,457 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Des Moines County declined by 5.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 38,487 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Des Moines County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 20.4% of residents. That is 1.5 points above Iowa as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 7,473 19.4% -2.8 pts
- Millennials 29–44 7,191 18.7% -1.8 pts
- Gen X 45–60 7,852 20.4% +1.5 pts
- Boomers 61–79 7,787 20.2% +2.6 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Iowa, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.6% of the people living in Des Moines County and men 49.4%.
- Women 50.6% Iowa 50.0%
- Men 49.4% Iowa 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Des Moines County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Des Moines County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Des Moines County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,600 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.56% | 3.99% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Des Moines County is about 15% lower than in Iowa.
Housing
| Metric | Des Moines County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $24,305 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $904 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.6% | 71.7% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Des Moines County is about 2.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $904 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Des Moines County spend about 27 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 114 hours, about 4.7 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Des Moines County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 13.7 | 17.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 27.3 | 33.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 114 | 141 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,526 | $4,382 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 4.2% | 11.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,506 | 4,993 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 310 | 606 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Iowa:
Sioux County (10.1 min), Union County (10.4 min), Cass County (10.6 min).
Slowest:
Monroe County (30.4 min), Madison County (30.1 min), Mills County (26.7 min).
The average commute time in Des Moines County is 14 minutes, shorter than the 17 minutes in Iowa.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Des Moines County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Des Moines County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.6% | 27.9% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.20 | 2.37 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Iowa:
Johnson County (0.4), Dallas County (0.4), Story County (0.4).
Lowest:
Crawford County (0.2), Wayne County (0.2), Louisa County (0.2).
Health
Des Moines County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Des Moines County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.5 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.6% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 20.1% | 17.6% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Iowa:
Johnson County (0.8), Story County (0.8), Winneshiek County (0.8).
Lowest:
Davis County (0.8), Wayne County (0.8), Appanoose County (0.8).
Des Moines County, IA Compared With Nearby Counties
How Des Moines County, IA compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines County, IA | 38,487 | $63,600 #2/3 | $24,305 #3/3 | 13.7 min #2/3 |
| Henry County, IA | 20,002 | $67,907 | $107,954 | 13.4 min |
| Lee County, IA | 32,893 | $62,330 | $171,484 | 16.0 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Des Moines County, Iowa.
What is the population of Des Moines County, Iowa?
About 38,487 people live in Des Moines County, Iowa, in 17,178 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 43.0, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 6 years.
Is Des Moines County, Iowa urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Des Moines County, Iowa has 90 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is close to the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Des Moines County, Iowa?
The median home costs 0.4 times the median household income ($24,305 against $63,600), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $904 a month takes about 17% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Des Moines County, Iowa?
Unemployment in Des Moines County, Iowa is only 3.1%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in Des Moines County, Iowa?
21.6% of adults in Des Moines County, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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