Owners are 60% of Des Moines households and renters pay a median of $1,090. Whether a personal loan fits depends on your own income and debts, not on your ZIP code. Compare written APRs and total cost across three offers, and verify any lender's Iowa license first.
On this page
- The basics on Des Moines
- Work and pay in Des Moines
- Residents and homes in Des Moines
- Jobs data for the Des Moines area
- What a typical Des Moines household can carry
- Loan lessons from the Des Moines figures
- Des Moines in context
- Des Moines and its neighbors
- Local background
- One common Des Moines case
- Checklist for Des Moines borrowers
- Guides near Des Moines
- Frequently asked questions
The basics on Des Moines
Numbers come from the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 ACS for the city of Des Moines. Treat them as estimates.
Work and pay in Des Moines
Count the jobs held by Des Moines residents and education and health care comes out on top (20%), followed by finance, insurance and real estate at 11% and professional, scientific and administrative services at 11%. The sector where Des Moines stands furthest from the typical place in our set is finance, insurance and real estate (11% here, 7% at the median).
Break Des Moines households into income groups and 22% fall below $35,000, 49% land between $35,000 and $100,000, and 29% reach $100,000 or beyond. Our U.S. city median is 39% at $100,000 or more and 20% under $35,000. A Gini reading of 0.44 sums up how unevenly income is spread in Des Moines.
Residents and homes in Des Moines
A bachelor's degree or more is held by 30% of Des Moines adults aged 25 and up, and the median age is 34.6. Against our U.S. city medians (37.2 years, 37% with a degree), Des Moines runs younger and below the typical education level. Education levels shape the local job mix, which in turn shapes pay schedules and benefits.
Of every 100 homes in Des Moines, about 62 are detached houses and 26 sit in larger apartment buildings. Our U.S. city median is 61% detached and 22% in large buildings. Match the loan amount to a written estimate or quote rather than to what a lender is willing to offer.
Jobs data for the Des Moines area
The Bureau of Labor Statistics put the unemployment rate in Polk County at 3.4% for September 2026 (not seasonally adjusted, preliminary), about level from 3.4% a year earlier. The ACS five-year estimate for Des Moines itself is 5.6%, an average over 2020 to 2024.
What a typical Des Moines household can carry
Divide the median income of $65,932 by twelve and a Des Moines household has about $5,494 a month before taxes. Rent at the median ($1,090) uses 20% of that; 30% would be $1,648. Apply a 36% debt-to-income test and a median-earning household in Des Moines could carry roughly $1,978 a month in total debt payments, housing included. The price-to-income ratio for housing is roughly 3.0. If your rent share is above the yardstick, size any new payment more conservatively.
Loan lessons from the Des Moines figures
Commutes are comparatively short in Des Moines: only 6% of workers travel 45 minutes or more, in the lower third of the 784 U.S. city places we cover. Lower vehicle wear can leave more room in the budget.
The median home in Des Moines dates from 1961, older than in most of the 784 U.S. city places we cover. Aging systems are a predictable source of large, unplanned bills, so a repair fund beats a loan, but when the fund is empty a fixed-term loan is a reasonable tool.
The price-to-income ratio in Des Moines is on the lower side (about 3.0, from a median home value of $194,700 and a median household income of $65,932). That can give owners more flexibility, including paying a personal loan off early.
Des Moines in context
Ranked against 784 U.S. city places, Des Moines shows a median household income of $65,932 (542nd of 784, top down), a median gross rent of $1,090 (642nd of 784, top down), and a median home value of $194,700 (659th of 784, top down). Ranks like these are a snapshot that changes each release.
Nearby in size, and also in Iowa, are West Des Moines ($86,594 income, $1,237 rent), where Des Moines runs 24% below on income and 12% below on rent. Compare the same four numbers on every offer wherever you live.
Des Moines and its neighbors
The 8 closest Census places of 2,500 people or more, measured center to center, with the rent gap against Des Moines's median of $1,090.
| Community | Distance | Population | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Rent vs Des Moines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Hill | 6 mi | 11,136 | $90,508 | $1,215 | +$125 |
| Windsor Heights | 6 mi | 5,143 | $91,707 | $1,498 | +$408 |
| Carlisle | 7 mi | 4,255 | $109,191 | $1,000 | -$90 |
| Norwalk | 8 mi | 14,183 | $102,722 | $838 | -$252 |
| Altoona | 9 mi | 21,495 | $86,114 | $1,235 | +$145 |
| West Des Moines | 9 mi | 71,083 | $86,594 | $1,237 | +$147 |
| Urbandale | 10 mi | 46,595 | $112,795 | $1,211 | +$121 |
| Clive | 10 mi | 19,012 | $132,121 | $1,073 | -$17 |
On income, Des Moines trails 8 of its 8 nearest neighbors; on rent, 3 of them are cheaper. Rent runs from $838 in Norwalk to $1,498 in Windsor Heights, and the highest median income nearby is $132,121 in Clive. For anyone weighing a move to cut costs, this spread is the place to start; a loan payment should fit the budget after the move, not before it.
Local background
Des Moines is Iowa's capital and the seat of Polk County. Insurance and financial companies, including Principal Financial Group, state government and health care are major employers.
One common Des Moines case
Large financial-sector employers in Des Moines mean many salaried households and bonus calendars. Lenders count regular pay, so plan around the base.
Checklist for Des Moines borrowers
- Check your state's financial regulator for the lender's license, and use the CFPB complaint portal if something goes wrong.
- Run the offer checklist before you sign.
- Put the payment through the DTI calculator before you apply anywhere. Lenders set their own limits.
- Compare three written offers by APR, fees and total cost, using the side-by-side calculator.
- Ask about early payoff. Most personal loans have no penalty, but confirm in writing.
Guides near Des Moines
Frequently asked questions
How should I budget a loan if I have a long commute from Des Moines?
Count fuel, tires and repairs as fixed costs. With 6% of workers commuting 45 minutes or more, a vehicle failure is a common emergency, so keep a small repair fund and choose a loan payment you can still make after a bad car month.
What is the best way to compare lenders in Des Moines if my income is strong?
Prequalify with soft pulls at three lenders, compare APR and total cost, and choose the shortest term you can afford.
Will my Des Moines address affect my match?
No. The check looks at what you borrow, your credit range, your income from any source and your monthly payments, and treats every applicant the same. A lender's own decision is separate, and fair-lending laws bind lenders.
Where do I file a complaint about a lender in Des Moines?
Keep the paperwork, then contact the Iowa agency that licenses lenders; the CFPB portal accepts complaints about any lender nationwide, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.