Des Moines appears affordable relative to its own citywide benchmarks: median gross rent ($1,090/month) represents about 20% of median monthly household income ($5,494), which is below the common 30% affordability threshold. Median owner-occupied home value ($194,700) is roughly 2.95 times median annual income, suggesting homeownership may be accessible for many residents, though individual circumstances vary.
Des Moines at a glance
What the default budget models
A one-person renting household begins with a modeled annual core-cost baseline of $28,080. It combines the ACS median gross-rent estimate with a uniform $1,250 monthly non-housing baseline. State income tax is excluded until a current official reference is approved; the calculator labels that limitation instead of guessing.
| 2024 ACS population estimate | 212,421 |
| 2024 ACS median household income | $65,932 |
| 2024 ACS median gross rent | $1,090 |
| 2024 ACS median owner-occupied home value | $194,700 |
| Derived one-way commute estimate | 21 minutes |
| State-tax treatment | Excluded — official reference pending |
| Rent-to-income reference | 20% |
The trade-off
Relative strength: Rent-to-income ratio is favorable at ~20%.. Watch closely: lower home values may reflect older housing stock or limited new construction..
Compare Des Moines
Frequently asked questions
Is Des Moines affordable for renters?
Yes, based on 2024 ACS data, median gross rent ($1,090) is about 20% of median monthly household income ($5,494), which is below the 30% benchmark often used to assess rental affordability.
How does Des Moines home value compare to income?
The median owner-occupied home value ($194,700) is approximately 2.95 times the median annual household income ($65,932), indicating a moderate home price-to-income ratio that may support homeownership access for many residents.
Source ledger
Every production input below is retained with its publisher and dataset. The ACS figures are five-year estimates, not live listings or guarantees.
- PopulationU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B01003
- Median household incomeU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B19013
- Median gross rentU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B25064
- Median owner-occupied home valueU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B25077
- Commute-time distributionU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B08303
Interpretation: The ACS 2024 five-year estimates generally summarize observations across 2020–2024. The commute number is a weighted midpoint estimate from table B08303. State income tax is not included in the modeled take-home result. Verify a current address, quote, commute, and tax situation before making a decision.