Life in West Des Moines research summary. HomeSnacks has been using Saturday Night Science to research the quality of life in West Des Moines over the past nine years using Census, FBI, Zillow, and other primary data sources. Based on the most recently available data, we found the following about life in West Des Moines:
The population in West Des Moines is 69,893.
The median home value in West Des Moines is $322,301.
The median income in West Des Moines is $84,925.
The cost of living in West Des Moines is 102 which is 1.0x higher than the national average.
The median rent in West Des Moines is $1,194.
The unemployment rate in West Des Moines is 2.5%.
The poverty rate in West Des Moines is 7.3%.
The average high in West Des Moines is 59.9° and the average low is 39.5°.
Crime in West Des Moines summary. We use data from the FBI to determine the crime rates in West Des Moines. Key points include:
There were 1,378 total crimes in West Des Moines in the last reporting year.
The overall crime rate per 100,000 people in West Des Moines is 1,879.0 / 100k people.
The violent crime rate per 100,000 people in West Des Moines is 165.0 / 100k people.
The property crime rate per 100,000 people in West Des Moines is 1,714.1 / 100k people.
Overall, crime in West Des Moines is -11.33% below the national average.
| Statistic | Count Raw |
West Des Moines / 100k People |
Iowa / 100k People |
National / 100k People |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Crimes Per 100K | 1,378 | 1,879.0 | 1,540.0 | 2,119.2 |
| Violent Crime | 121 | 165.0 | 243.3 | 359.0 |
| Murder | 0 | 0.0 | 2.1 | 5.0 |
| Robbery | 9 | 12.3 | 18.7 | 61.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 96 | 130.9 | 187.2 | 256.0 |
| Property Crime | 1,257 | 1,714.1 | 1,296.8 | 1,760.0 |
| Burglary | 84 | 114.5 | 199.1 | 229.0 |
| Larceny | 1,079 | 1,471.3 | 962.6 | 1,272.0 |
| Car Theft | 94 | 128.2 | 135.1 | 259.0 |
Cost of living in West Des Moines summary. We use data on the cost of living to determine how expensive it is to live in West Des Moines. Real estate prices drive most of the variance in cost of living around Iowa. Key points include:
The cost of living in West Des Moines is 102 with 100 being average.
The cost of living in West Des Moines is 1.0x higher than the national average.
The median home value in West Des Moines is $322,301.
The median income in West Des Moines is $84,925.
| Living Expense | West Des Moines | Iowa | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 102 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 94 | 96 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 99 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 96 | 99 | 100 | |
| Housing | 121 | 75 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 92 | 99 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 85 | 94 | 100 | |
The average high in West Des Moines is 59.9° and the average low is 39.5°.
There are 66.0 days of precipitation each year.
Expect an average of 35.5 inches of precipitation each year with 34.8 inches of snow.
| Stat | West Des Moines |
|---|---|
| Average Annual High | 59.9 |
| Average Annual Low | 39.5 |
| Annual Precipitation Days | 66.0 |
| Average Annual Precipitation | 35.5 |
| Average Annual Snowfall | 34.8 |
The current population in West Des Moines is 69,893. The population has increased 27.7% from 2010.
| Year | Population | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 69,893 | 1.7% |
| 2022 | 68,744 | 1.6% |
| 2021 | 67,640 | 1.4% |
| 2020 | 66,724 | 1.7% |
| 2019 | 65,606 | 1.9% |
| 2018 | 64,400 | 2.2% |
| 2017 | 62,999 | 2.2% |
| 2016 | 61,624 | 0.6% |
| 2015 | 61,266 | 2.4% |
| 2014 | 59,815 | 2.5% |
| 2013 | 58,344 | 2.3% |
| 2012 | 57,041 | 2.2% |
| 2011 | 55,812 | 2.0% |
| 2010 | 54,731 | - |
78.3% White with 54,694 White residents.
3.6% African American with 2,484 African American residents.
0.0% American Indian with 10 American Indian residents.
7.2% Asian with 5,065 Asian residents.
0.0% Hawaiian with 0 Hawaiian residents.
0.4% Other with 314 Other residents.
4.4% Two Or More with 3,076 Two Or More residents.
6.1% Hispanic with 4,250 Hispanic residents.
| Race | West Des Moines | IA | USA |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 78.3% | 83.1% | 58.2% |
| African American | 3.6% | 3.8% | 12.0% |
| American Indian | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Asian | 7.2% | 2.4% | 5.7% |
| Hawaiian | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Other | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Two Or More | 4.4% | 3.2% | 3.9% |
| Hispanic | 6.1% | 7.0% | 19.0% |
West Des Moines is 49.9% female with 34,909 female residents.
West Des Moines is 50.1% male with 34,984 male residents.
| Gender | West Des Moines | IA | USA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 49.9% | 49.9% | 50.5% |
| Male | 50.1% | 50.1% | 49.5% |
1.0% of adults in West Des Moines completed < 9th grade.
2.0% of adults in West Des Moines completed 9-12th grade.
16.0% of adults in West Des Moines completed high school / ged.
16.0% of adults in West Des Moines completed some college.
10.0% of adults in West Des Moines completed associate's degree.
36.0% of adults in West Des Moines completed bachelor's degree.
13.0% of adults in West Des Moines completed master's degree.
4.0% of adults in West Des Moines completed professional degree.
2.0% of adults in West Des Moines completed doctorate degree.
| Education | West Des Moines | IA | USA |
|---|---|---|---|
| < 9th Grade | 1.0% | 3.0% | 5.0% |
| 9-12th Grade | 2.0% | 4.0% | 6.0% |
| High School / GED | 16.0% | 30.0% | 26.0% |
| Some College | 16.0% | 20.0% | 19.0% |
| Associate's Degree | 10.0% | 12.0% | 9.0% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 36.0% | 21.0% | 21.0% |
| Master's Degree | 13.0% | 7.0% | 10.0% |
| Professional Degree | 4.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% |
| Doctorate Degree | 2.0% | 1.0% | 2.0% |
2.6% of households in West Des Moines earn Less than $10,000.
2.1% of households in West Des Moines earn $10,000 to $14,999.
4.9% of households in West Des Moines earn $15,000 to $24,999.
7.6% of households in West Des Moines earn $25,000 to $34,999.
10.4% of households in West Des Moines earn $35,000 to $49,999.
16.2% of households in West Des Moines earn $50,000 to $74,999.
14.3% of households in West Des Moines earn $75,000 to $99,999.
17.0% of households in West Des Moines earn $100,000 to $149,999.
10.3% of households in West Des Moines earn $150,000 to $199,999.
14.7% of households in West Des Moines earn $200,000 or more.
| Income | West Des Moines | IA | USA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than $10,000 | 2.6% | 4.0% | 4.9% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 2.1% | 3.4% | 3.6% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 4.9% | 7.0% | 6.6% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 7.6% | 7.3% | 6.8% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 10.4% | 11.7% | 10.4% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 16.2% | 17.8% | 15.7% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 14.3% | 14.1% | 12.7% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 17.0% | 18.4% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 10.3% | 8.4% | 9.3% |
| $200,000 or more | 14.7% | 8.0% | 12.6% |