Average Rent in Des Moines IA
9 apartment buildings, 30 units. Real asking prices, refreshed daily.
Avg Rent
$1,193/mo
Cheapest
$890/mo
Properties
9
Units
30
Analysis
Rent Price Breakdown
Compare pricing across all 9 properties in Des Moines IA.
Average Rent by Property
Starting Price vs Average
Rent by Bedroom Count
Price per Square Foot
Des Moines IA Rent Prices
All 9 properties ranked by lowest available rent.
Canary Lofts
2530 University Ave, Des Moines, IA 50311, USA
Rowat Lofts
601 E Vine St, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA
Ingersoll Square Apartments
1900 High St, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA
Level
220 Maple St, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA
Melbourne
5515 SE 14th St, Des Moines, IA 50320, USA
Rocket Transfer Lofts
320 SW 7th St, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA
Sutton Hill
2100 SE King Ave, Des Moines, IA 50320, USA
| # | Property | From | Avg | $/sqft | Rating | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canary Lofts 2530 University Ave, Des Moines, IA 50311, USA | $890 | $1,087 | $2.28 | 3.1 | 19 |
| 2 | Rowat Lofts 601 E Vine St, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA | $1,030 | $1,264 | $1.61 | 3.9 | 7 |
| 3 | Ingersoll Square Apartments 1900 High St, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA | $1,500 | $1,570 | $1.88 | 4.1 | 4 |
| 4 | Level 220 Maple St, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA | -- | -- | -- | 4.7 | 0 |
| 5 | Melbourne 5515 SE 14th St, Des Moines, IA 50320, USA | -- | -- | -- | 3.9 | 0 |
| 6 | Rocket Transfer Lofts 320 SW 7th St, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA | -- | -- | -- | 4.4 | 0 |
| 7 | Sutton Hill 2100 SE King Ave, Des Moines, IA 50320, USA | -- | -- | -- | 4 | 0 |
Explore Each Property
Canary Lofts
3.12530 University Ave, Des Moines, IA 50311, USA
Rowat Lofts
3.9601 E Vine St, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA
Ingersoll Square Apartments
4.11900 High St, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA
Level
4.7220 Maple St, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA
Melbourne
3.95515 SE 14th St, Des Moines, IA 50320, USA
Rocket Transfer Lofts
4.4320 SW 7th St, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA
Des Moines IA Average Rent Prices 2026
The average rent in Des Moines IA is $1,193 per month, based on 30 units across 9 apartment communities. Prices range from $890 at Canary Lofts to $1,500 at Ingersoll Square Apartments.
Average Rent by Bedroom Type
| Type | Avg Rent | Starting From | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $972/mo | $890/mo | 17 |
| 1 Bed | $1,295/mo | $1,030/mo | 5 |
| 2 Bed | $1,599/mo | $1,200/mo | 8 |
Every price comes directly from each property's leasing system, updated that morning. Request a neighborhood we don't cover and we add it within 24 hours.
Market Context
Who rents in Des Moines IA, and what they pay
Tracked one-bedroom rent in Des Moines IA averages $1,295/mo, with two-bedroom units averaging $1,599/mo. At the local median household income of $63,966, that works out to 22% of gross income, well within the 25 percent comfortable-rent threshold.
The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2023 release pegged median gross rent in Des Moines IA at $1,054/mo. The current tracked market average runs 13% higher than that benchmark, reflecting both two to three years of rent growth and the fact that the Census figure covers all renter-occupied housing in Des Moines IA while the tracked market average covers units currently listed in larger apartment communities.
Who employs renters in Des Moines
Demand in the Des Moines rental market is shaped by the metro's largest private and public employers. The following organizations anchor local hiring and influence what renters can pay:
- Principal Financial
- Wells Fargo
- Nationwide Insurance
- UnityPoint Health
Mean one-way commute in Des Moines IA is 20 minutes, per the Census ACS, useful context when weighing which properties sit inside reasonable reach of these employers.
What salary do I need to live comfortably in Des Moines IA?
Built on the 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.
Minimum to afford average rent
$48,000/year
30 percent rule -- using our average rent of $1,193/mo.
Comfortable income
$57,000/year
25 percent rule -- leaves more room for savings, transport, and groceries.
To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($890/mo), you need to earn at least $36,000/year.
Median household income in Des Moines IA is $63,966 , about 12% above the comfortable-living threshold.
Cost of living in Des Moines IA
Overall prices in Des Moines IA runs below the national average by about 7% (BEA Regional Price Parity index 92.8, where 100 equals the U.S. average). The breakdown below estimates monthly costs for a single adult, using national consumer-spending baselines from the Bureau of Labor Statistics scaled by Des Moines IA's regional price parities.
| Category | Monthly estimate |
|---|---|
| Rent (market average) | $1,193 |
| Utilities | $370 |
| Groceries | $522 |
| Transportation | $882 |
| Healthcare | $430 |
| Other goods and services | $688 |
| Estimated total | $4,085/mo |
Population
212,464
Median household income
$63,966
Census median rent
$1,054/mo
Rent as % of income
28.8%
Median age
34.6
Mean commute
20 min
Methodology
Rent data
Sourced directly from each tracked apartment community and refreshed every 24 hours. Every listed unit price on this page is real and listed today.
Cost of living
Estimates combine national consumer-spending baselines from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Consumer Expenditure Survey) with the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (MARPP dataset). Both are peer-reviewed federal data releases published annually.
Salary to live comfortably
Applies the standard 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income rule on top of the listed rent. This is the same affordability guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.
Demographic figures
Median household income, population, median age, commute time, Census median rent, and rent as percentage of income come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates, the most recent complete release.
Cost of living and demographic figures were last published in 2023.
Compare
Nearby cities in Iowa
How Des Moines IA rent compares to other markets in the state.
| City | Avg Rent | vs Des Moines IA | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $1,125 | -6% | 5 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the average rent in Des Moines IA?
The average rent in Des Moines IA is $1,193 per month, based on 30 units across 9 apartment buildings tracked by Average Rent. Prices are updated every morning through our proprietary data sourcing.
What is the cheapest apartment rent in Des Moines IA?
The lowest available rent in Des Moines IA starts at $890 per month. Availability changes daily as leasing data is refreshed each morning.
How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in Des Moines IA?
1-bedroom apartments in Des Moines IA average $1,295/mo. The lowest listed 1-bedroom starts at $1,030/mo across 5 units tracked.
How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in Des Moines IA?
2-bedroom apartments in Des Moines IA average $1,599/mo. Units start from $1,200/mo across 8 units currently listed.
Rent Trends in Des Moines IA
Track how apartment prices are changing over time.
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