Des Moines, Washington Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Des Moines, WA 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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B
Income Around average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Des Moines | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,822 | 7,801,159 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 4160.7 | 109.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.33% | 1.21% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 35.8 | 36.2 | 37.3 |
| Households | 11,042 | 3,058,619 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Des Moines grew by 9.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 30,822 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Des Moines is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 24.0% of residents. That is 0.6 points above Washington as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 6,431 20.9% -0.5 pts
- Millennials 29–44 7,386 24.0% +0.6 pts
- Gen X 45–60 6,219 20.2% +0.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 4,381 14.2% -2.0 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 Washington, 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 50.0% of the people living in Des Moines and men 50.0%.
- Women 50.0% Washington 49.7%
- Men 50.0% Washington 50.3%
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Economy
Des Moines has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Des Moines | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $90,886 | $98,224 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.96% | 5.64% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.5% | 5.0% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Des Moines is about 7% lower than in Washington.
Housing
| Metric | Des Moines | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $773,942 | $485,016 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,788 | $1,759 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 57.8% | 63.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Des Moines is about 36.1 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,788 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Des Moines spend about 57 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 237 hours, about 9.9 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Des Moines | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 28.4 | 22.4 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 56.9 | 44.8 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 237 | 187 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $7,348 | $5,785 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 14.6% | 19.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 30,081 | 10,119 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,005 | 1,525 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Des Moines is 28 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in Washington.
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 has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Des Moines | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.0% | 35.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.66 | 2.50 | 2.53 |
Health
Des Moines has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Des Moines | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.4 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.6% | 15.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 13.3% | 16.4% | 19.0% |
Des Moines, WA Compared With Nearby Cities
Des Moines, WA is the smallest of the 4 cities compared here, 30,822 residents against a local median of 47,382. Des Moines, WA's commute, at 28.4 min, runs 20% above the 23.7 min typical of the cities around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The cities themselves spread 7.4 min on commute, so Des Moines, WA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Des Moines, WA has the 3rd lowest commute of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, WA | 30,822 | $90,886 #2/4 | $773,942 #2/4 | 28.4 min #3/4 |
| SeaTac, WA | 36,350 | $78,744 | $801,989 | 22.9 min |
| Federal Way, WA | 99,921 | $88,690 | $637,454 | 30.3 min |
| Burien, WA | 47,382 | $93,761 | $771,957 | 23.7 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Des Moines, Washington.
How many people live in Des Moines, Washington?
About 30,822 people live in Des Moines, Washington, in 11,042 households of 2.7 people on average. The median age is 35.8, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Des Moines, Washington?
Averaged over its land area, Des Moines, Washington has 4,161 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 48 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Des Moines, Washington?
The median home costs 8.5 times the median household income ($773,942 against $90,886), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,788 a month takes about 24% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Des Moines, Washington?
Unemployment in Des Moines, Washington is 7.5%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
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