Skip to Main Content
© Mapbox / © OpenStreetMap
Town
Des Moines

West Des Moines

#2 in Best Suburbs to Live in Iowa
  • A+
    Overall Grade
  • Town in Iowa
  • 92 reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Public Schools
    A+
  2. Crime & Safety
    B-
  3. Housing
    A
  4. Nightlife
    A-
  5. Good for Families
    A+
  6. Diversity
    B+
  7. Jobs
    A
  8. Weather
    B-
  9. Cost of Living
    B+
  10. Health & Fitness
    A-
  11. Outdoor Activities
    B-
  12. Commute
    A-
View Full Report Card
West Des Moines is a town in Iowa with a population of 61,624. West Des Moines is in Polk County and is one of the best places to live in Iowa. Living in West Des Moines offers residents a suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In West Des Moines there are a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many families and young professionals live in West Des Moines and residents tend to lean conservative. The public schools in West Des Moines are highly rated.
About West Des Moines...
Population
61,624

Real Estate

Median Home Value
$195,500
National
$184,700
Median Rent
$934
National
$949
Area Feel
Suburban
Rent vs. Own
  • Rent
    40%
  • Own
    60%
Sponsored Mortgage Options for West Des Moines
Get Rates
  • America's Top Mortgage Lender - Rated A+ by the BBB
  • Closes Purchase Loans in 14 Business Days. Supports Non-Traditional Credit Profiles
Niche may be compensated by the third party lenders and others who place ads on the website. Niche is not a lender and does not endorse the products of these advertisers. Fees that Niche receives for ads do not affect the terms you may be offered by the lender you choose. There are many additional borrowing options available.

West Des Moines Rankings

Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and and expert insights.

Crime & Safety

Crime & Safety
B-
Based on violent and property crime rates.
Violent Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Assault
    160
    283
  • Murder
    2
    6
  • Rape
    32
    41
  • Robbery
    29
    136
Property Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Burglary
    224
    500
  • Theft
    1,975
    2,043
  • Motor Vehicle Theft
    107
    284
Home Security Options for West Des Moines
Learn More
  • 24/7 Whole home protection with no contract
  • CNET Editor’s choice winner 2018

Residents

Diversity
B+
Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
Median Household Income
$70,906
National
$55,322
Children
19%
Education Levels
National
  • Master's degree or higher
    18%
    12%
  • Bachelor's degree
    36%
    19%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    28%
    29%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    14%
    28%
  • Less than high school diploma
    4%
    13%
  • Public Schools
  • Private Schools
  • Colleges
Places like West Des Moines
More

West Des Moines Reviews

92 reviews
All Categories
The people live up to the "Iowa nice" reputation! There are great public schools, as well as options for private. Shopping and dining options have greatly increased over the past ten years. Cost of living and taxes are also lower than most places. My biggest complaints would be 1)the harsh winter weather and 2)the relatively small airport if you enjoy traveling...(though getting through security usually only takes 10 minutes!).
Start Your Review of West Des Moines
Rate It!
I have lived in West Des Moines for 12 years and have seen it evolve! Iowa is one of the top places to live in the country! The West Des Moines school system is great! We have new hotels , restaurants, beautiful homes and apartments. HyVee grocery store is state-of-the-art! Everything I need within 10 minutes from where I live! I've been a widow for 13 years and I feel safe living in the West Des Moines area.
I have loved living in West Des Moines for the last 3 years. The City is planned well, as far as shopping districts along side residential neighborhoods. West Des Moines has a wonderful bike trail system and the City government is very involved in the community. The West Des Moines Human Services branch is always finding new ways to serve the lower income families in the area as well. Snow removal is prompt, property values are good and crime is fairly low. In the three years I've lived there, there hasn't been any violent crimes.
The one thing I wish West Des Moines has was more affordable housing districts. There are a couple of places with affordable housing, but it is concentrated in one place. It would be nice to have affordable housing adjacent to the nicer neighborghoods, as they are better lit and more patrolled by the local law enforcement.