Des Moines, WA
Census place 5317635 · pop 32,823
Sales & income are statewide. No wage income tax (a capital-gains excise applies).
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
100/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
31 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$597,000 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$1,963/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
60.6% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
10.6% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
3 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
12.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.6% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.94% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+3.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
16.7% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
33.4% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
41 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
93.4% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$92,483 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.41 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
10.1% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
18.7% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
26.6% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
Not measured for Des Moines: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Des Moines, WA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Des Moines scores 47/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is adult obesity and its weakest is natural disaster risk. Washington overall ranks #24 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Des Moines, WA expensive to live in?
- Des Moines has a median home value of $597,000 and typical rent around $1,963/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Des Moines, WA?
- Its weakest measured area is natural disaster risk (100/100) — 6/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
- What is Des Moines, WA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is adult obesity (26.6%) — 88/100, better than most U.S. cities.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.