The Des Moines metro is home to 720,331 people (up 13.6% over five years), with a median household income of $84,209. Typical rent of $1,280/month works out to 18.2% of the median household income — comfortably below the 30% affordability threshold (Census ACS + Zillow, September 2026).
The share of Des Moines's workforce by sector — the base of tenant demand:
| Sector | % of workforce |
|---|---|
| Education & health care | 21.3% |
| Finance, insurance & real estate | 14.7% |
| Retail trade | 10.9% |
| Professional & management | 10.7% |
| Manufacturing | 9.3% |
Education & health care is the metro's largest employment base — sectors like education and health care are recession-resilient anchors for rental demand.
Rents at 18.2% of median income leave room for rent growth without pricing out the median tenant. Market pricing, yields and the Star Score live on the Des Moines market page; run a deal in the calculator.
At the 30%-of-income affordability rule, typical rent of $1,280/month suggests a household income around $51,000/year. The metro's median household income is $84,209.
By workforce share: Education & health care (21.3%), Finance, insurance & real estate (14.7%), Retail trade (10.9%) (Census ACS 5-year).