Population 6,462 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Downtown Des Moines
Household size in Downtown Des Moines
| Period | Downtown Des Moines | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.30 | 2.51 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.38 | 2.56 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.37 | 2.55 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.34 | 2.52 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.05 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Downtown Des Moines are small: just 1.34 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 1.30, even as the national average fell. Downtown Des Moines has the smallest households of any Des Moines neighborhood.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Downtown Des Moines
| Period | Downtown Des Moines | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.7 | 36.2 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 31.5 | 36.7 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 30.1 | 37.2 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 28.0 | 37.6 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | −9.7 | +1.4 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
Downtown Des Moines is young: half of its residents are under 28.0, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has dropped from 37.7 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. No other Des Moines neighborhood is younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Downtown Des Moines
| Period | Downtown Des Moines | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.9% | 10.2% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 11.1% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 2.3% | 10.9% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.7% | 11.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | +0.9 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.7% of households in Downtown Des Moines, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 4.8 points, even as the national share fell. Only one other Des Moines neighborhood has a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Downtown Des Moines
Renters in Downtown Des Moines
| Period | Downtown Des Moines | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.4% | 27.3% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 88.4% | 29.3% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 85.4% | 30.3% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 90.5% | 30.5% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +13.0 pts | +3.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Downtown Des Moines: 90.5% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Just over three in ten owners (31.4%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 13.0 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Downtown Des Moines has the highest share of renters of any Des Moines neighborhood.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Downtown Des Moines
| Period | Downtown Des Moines | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 7.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.6% | 7.2% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.9% | 7.2% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.6% | 7.0% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | −0.7 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Downtown Des Moines than nationally: 12.6%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has risen 3.0 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Downtown Des Moines
| Period | Downtown Des Moines | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1968 | 1976 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1977 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1979 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1985 | 1983 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +17 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Downtown Des Moines is a little younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1985, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1968 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Only one other Des Moines neighborhood has newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Downtown Des Moines
| Period | Downtown Des Moines | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $579 | $808 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $683 | $899 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $907 | $986 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,283 | $1,210 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$703 | +$402 | +$351 | +$606 |
The median renter in Downtown Des Moines pays $1,283 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are higher than in the Des Moines area as a whole ($1,210). Rents are up $703 a month from 2006–10, a 121% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 26.7% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Downtown Des Moines
Bachelor's degrees in Downtown Des Moines
| Period | Downtown Des Moines | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.9% | 33.6% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 51.8% | 35.5% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 61.5% | 37.1% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 67.0% | 40.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +20.2 pts | +6.6 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Downtown Des Moines is highly educated: about two-thirds of adults 25 and older (67.0%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 20.2 points, as it has nationally. Downtown Des Moines has the highest share of college graduates of any Des Moines neighborhood.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Downtown Des Moines
| Period | Downtown Des Moines | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.5% | 91.9% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.5% | 92.8% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.2% | 92.7% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.4% | 92.9% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +1.0 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Downtown Des Moines: 94.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 4.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only one other Des Moines neighborhood has a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Downtown Des Moines
| Period | Downtown Des Moines | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.0% | 4.8% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.5% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.2% | 3.8% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.0 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Downtown Des Moines than nationally: unemployment was 4.0%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 5.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Downtown Des Moines compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown Des Moines | 1.34 | 28.0 | 7.7% | 90.5% | 12.6% | 1985 | $1,283 | 67.0% | 94.4% | 4.0% |
| Capitol Park | 3.14 | 36.6 | 26.8% | 39.3% | 11.2% | 1945 | $1,084 | 15.1% | 80.5% | 8.6% |
| River Bend | 2.73 | 35.7 | 22.1% | 49.2% | 17.9% | 1944 | $934 | 9.9% | 69.0% | 4.5% |
| Indianola Hills | 2.40 | 35.8 | 17.3% | 33.8% | 11.0% | 1955 | $1,189 | 20.3% | 87.5% | 4.5% |
| Drake | 2.21 | 28.2 | 10.4% | 55.9% | 9.2% | 1944 | $1,140 | 38.4% | 87.5% | 7.0% |
| Union Park | 2.77 | 33.9 | 16.5% | 20.2% | 7.1% | 1946 | $1,320 | 15.9% | 80.2% | 5.6% |
| Pioneer Park | 2.63 | 31.4 | 24.1% | 52.2% | 6.1% | 1983 | $1,110 | 18.3% | 73.8% | 7.5% |
| Greater South Side | 2.30 | 40.2 | 10.5% | 20.5% | 4.8% | 1957 | $1,152 | 22.8% | 94.2% | 4.4% |
| Southwestern Hills | 2.24 | 40.1 | 8.7% | 38.3% | 6.0% | 1977 | $1,121 | 48.6% | 93.9% | 4.2% |
| South Park | 2.12 | 37.2 | 16.0% | 52.6% | 7.4% | 1964 | $977 | 18.5% | 82.4% | 9.1% |
| Fairground | 2.74 | 33.4 | 18.6% | 19.6% | 10.2% | 1940 | $1,117 | 14.8% | 78.5% | 8.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Bay Colony, League City, TX · Crawford, Ames, IA · Sunset Hills, Lawrence, KS · Sun Groves, Chandler, AZ · Meadow Hills, Aurora, CO · Madison Park, Santa Ana, CA · Lower Garden District, New Orleans, LA · Los Cerritos, Long Beach, CA · Las Positas, Santa Barbara, CA · Larchmont-Edgewater, Norfolk, VA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Downtown Des Moines. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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