Des Moines County, Iowa Demographics 2026

Name: Des Moines County, Iowa Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Des Moines County, Iowa has a population of 38,487, the 16th most populous county in Iowa. The median household income is $62,928 and the median home value is $136,500. The poverty rate is 12.8%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Des Moines County Quick Facts

Population 38,487

Median Household Income $62,928

Median Home Value $136,500

Poverty Rate 12.8%

Unemployment Rate 3.1%

Median Age 42.3 years

Homeownership Rate 74.7%

Affordability Ratio 2.2x

Bachelor's Degree+ 23.8%

High School Graduation 93.8%

Cities/Places 11

Population 38,487 16th of 99

Median Income $62,928 16% lower than state

Poverty Rate 12.8%

Unemployment 3.1%

How Des Moines County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	38,597	38,487	-0.3%
Median household income	$60,662	$62,928	+3.7%
Median home value	$137,000	$136,500	-0.4%

Median Household Income

Des Moines

$62,928

$75,059

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Des Moines

$136,500

$208,000

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 17.9%

$25K-$50K 20.9%

$50K-$100K 34.5%

$100K+ 26.6%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.5%

$10K-$15K

5.4%

$15K-$20K

3.9%

$20K-$25K

4.1%

$25K-$30K

4.4%

$30K-$35K

5.2%

$35K-$40K

5.1%

$40K-$45K

2.8%

$45K-$50K

3.4%

$50K-$60K

8.6%

$60K-$75K

10.5%

$75K-$100K

15.4%

$100K-$125K

9.6%

$125K-$150K

5.9%

$150K-$200K

6.0%

$200K+

5.1%

Employment

3.1% Unemployment Rate State: 3.6%|National: 5.2%

61.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 74.7%

Renter 25.3%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.2x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $904/mo 17.2% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

22.2%

18-34

19.4%

35-54

23.4%

55-74

26.2%

75+

8.8%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 31 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Des Moines County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Burlington	23,728	$59,000	13.2%	$114,300
West Burlington	3,189	$48,542	23.8%	$124,000
Mediapolis	1,928	$75,543	9.7%	$179,700
Danville	930	$80,192	15.5%	$158,500
Beaverdale	910	$57,357	27.1%	$170,900
Middletown	322	$56,750	15.0%	$163,600
Oak Hills	137	$250,000+	8.8%	$373,900
Yarmouth	85	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Kingston	77	$73,333	0.0%	N/A
Sperry	73	$67,050	0.0%	N/A
Augusta	26	N/A	0.0%	N/A

Explore Iowa Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Des Moines County is located in Iowa with a total population of 38,487. It is the 16th most populous county out of 99 in Iowa. The county encompasses 11 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Des Moines County is 42.3 years. This is 10% higher than the state median of 38.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Des Moines County is $62,928. This is 16% lower than the state median of $75,059. It is also 22% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.8%. This is 16% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.1%. The unemployment rate is 3.1%. This is 13% lower than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $136,500. Housing costs are 34% lower than the state median of $208,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.2x, Des Moines County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 74.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% higher than the state average of 71.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Des Moines County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 84.5% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 4.7%. The Asian population (1.2%) is well below the state average of 2.5%.

Education

23.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 24% lower than the state rate of 31.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 93.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Des Moines County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Iowa and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Des Moines County, Iowa?

Des Moines County has a population of 38,487, making it the 16th most populous county in Iowa.

What is the median income in Des Moines County?

The median household income in Des Moines County is $62,928 with a poverty rate of 12.8%.

How many cities are in Des Moines County, Iowa?

Des Moines County contains 11 Census-designated places.