Can you afford to live in Des Moines?
Median household income, home values and rent in Des Moines, WA — how they've changed since 2015 and how much of a typical paycheck housing takes compared with the rest of the country.
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
This story was assembled using AI and public data sources.
What it costs to live in Des Moines.
Median household income: $89,787 — +54.7% since 2015 (not adjusted for inflation)
Median gross rent: $1,727/mo — +58.0% since 2015
Median home value, 2015 to 2023
- 2015: 254800
- 2023: 539800
Median household income
- Des Moines: 89787
- King County: 122148
- WA: 94952
- U.S.: 78538
Median gross rent
- Des Moines: 1727
- King County: 2035
- WA: 1682
- U.S.: 1348
Share of income a typical renter spends on rent: 39.5% — U.S.: 30.2%
What it means
The typical household here earns $89,787 — notably higher than the national figure of $78,538.
The typical renter here spends 39.5% of household income on rent, above the 30% level housing agencies use to define cost burden.
Since 2015, rent has risen faster than income here (+58.0% versus +54.7%), before adjusting for inflation.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates — Population, income, housing, education, commuting and poverty figures
- Census Bureau API — ACS Detailed Tables — The endpoint these pages are generated from
- data.census.gov — Look up the same tables for any place yourself
- ACS accuracy statement — Estimates carry margins of error; small places vary the most
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