Residential comparison · 13 facts
Des Moines, IA vs West Des Moines, IA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Des Moines needs about $86,500 in West Des Moines to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from West Des Moines, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $83,500 in Des Moines.
A few differences
- West Des Moines is lower on property tax rate (1.5% vs 1.8%).
- West Des Moines is lower on sales tax (6.9% vs 7%).
- West Des Moines is higher on median household income ($86,594 vs $62,000).
Des Moines vs West Des Moines · facet by facet
| Facet | Des Moines, IA | West Des Moines, IA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $220,000 | $309,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,300/mo | $1,239/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.8% | 1.5% |
| State & local income tax | 5.3% | 5.3% |
| Sales tax | 7% | 6.9% |
| Cost of living index | 88 | 88 |
| Groceries index | 94 | 94 |
| Utilities | $155/mo | $150/mo |
| Median household income | $62,000 | $86,594 |
| Unemployment rate | 3% | 3% |
| Crime index | 45/100 | 38/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 204 days | 200 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Des Moines, IA · West Des Moines, IA
Questions & answers
- Is Des Moines cheaper than West Des Moines?
- Des Moines and West Des Moines display the same day-to-day cost index; the differences show up facet by facet in the table above.
- What household income in West Des Moines equals $85,000 in Des Moines?
- A household earning $85,000 in Des Moines needs about $86,500 in West Des Moines to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of West Des Moines lifestyle costs about $83,500 in Des Moines.