Data through September 2026 · updated 2026-11-07 · free, from Zillow, Realtor.com, the Census Bureau and other public sources
Typical home value$292,513+0.5% YoY · prices are flat
Market right nowBuyer's marketMore homes for sale than last year, 25% have cut their price
Income needed to buy, per year$63,411About 0.7× the local median income ($86,569): affordable for a typical household
Days on market67 daysSlower than a year ago: buyers have time to negotiate
Next 12 months+1.6%Zillow expects prices to rise slightly
The typical home in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is worth $292,513, up 0.5% from a year ago. That is slightly above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $268,278, so the area is 9.0% overvalued. It is a buyer's market: homes take about 67 days to sell, listings are up 13% from a year ago, 25% of listings have had a price cut. Zillow expects prices to rise about 1.6% over the next year. A household needs about $63,411 a year to afford the typical home here at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $86,569. Typical rent is $1,280 a month, or $1,751 for a house. In the latest IRS figures, 2,543 more people moved in than out.
Home value over time
Solid: typical home value · dashed: fair value (household income × the 20-year average price-to-income ratio). Sources: FHFA, Zillow, U.S. Census Bureau.
Prices and affordability
Typical home value
$292,513
Change in 1 year
+0.5%
Overvalued %
+9.0%
Show 7 more
Fair home value
$268,278
Change in 5 years
+19.2%
Zillow forecast, next 12 months
+1.6%
Home value to income
3.4×
Monthly mortgage payment (20% down)
$1,585
Income needed to afford it
$63,411
Property tax rate
1.59%
Rent and investing
Typical rent
$1,280
Typical rent for houses
$1,751
Price-to-rent ratio
19.0×
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HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,341
Gross rental yield
5.25%
Cap rate (estimate)
3.41%
Market activity
Listings vs a year ago
+13.0%
Days on market
67
Listings with a price cut
24.9%
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Homes for sale
3,986
Pending sales per 100 listings
32
Asking price per sq ft
$224
People and jobs
Median household income
$86,569
Population change (1 year)
+1.0%
Unemployment rate
4.0%
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Population
758,539
Income adjusted for cost of living
$94,405
Net moves in (IRS)
+2,543
Cost of living (US = 100)
91.7
Schools, risk and environment
School rating (1 to 10)
5.7
FEMA hazard risk score (0 to 100)
78.2
Unhealthy air days a year
2
Show 4 more
Flood risk score
78.0
Wildfire risk score
54.7
Walkability (1 to 20)
10.0
Road, rail and air noise
54 dB
Questions people ask
Is Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA overvalued?
Home prices in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA are slightly above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $268,278, so the area is 9.0% overvalued.
Is Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA a buyer's or seller's market?
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is a buyer's market: homes take about 67 days to sell, listings are up 13% from a year ago, 25% of listings have had a price cut.
Are home prices going down in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
Home values in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA are up 0.5% over the last year. Zillow's forecast for the next 12 months is +1.6%.
How much do you need to earn to buy a home in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
A household needs about $63,411 a year to afford the typical home in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $86,569.