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Average Rent in Downtown Des Moines & Rent Trends

What is the average rent in Downtown Des Moines?

The average listed apartment rent in Downtown Des Moines is $1,374 per month, as of November 9, 2026. This sample includes 97 priced apartments in 6 buildings. These are tracked asking prices, not signed leases.

We use published total monthly rent when known and base rent otherwise. Unknown fees remain unknown. Included building observations run from November 6, 2026 through November 9, 2026. Buildings without a qualifying price do not count in this sample. The guide directory can include more buildings.

Rent prices and market trends across 6 apartment communities in Downtown Des Moines, Des Moines, IA. Prices update after successful source checks.

Area All Areas Downtown Des Moines Drake
Des Moines 50315 50320
Beds All Bedrooms Studio 1 Bed 2 Bed 3 Bed

Showing any bedrooms in Downtown Des Moines.

Market Average

$1,374/mo

▲ +8.4% from last month

Lowest Available

$940/mo

cheapest unit on market

Communities

6

tracked daily

Units Listed

97

available now

Downtown Des Moines vs Des Moines, IA Average

Downtown Des Moines is more expensive than the Des Moines, IA average by $74/mo (6%). The citywide average is $1,300/mo across all neighborhoods.

Is Rent Going Up or Down in Downtown Des Moines?

As of November 2026, the average rent in Downtown Des Moines is $1,374 per month across 6 apartment communities and 97 available units. Rents have increased $107 (8.4%) over the past month.

The most affordable option is Cityville Apartments starting at $940/mo. By unit type, a studio averages $966/mo, a 1-bedroom averages $1,283/mo, a 2-bedroom averages $1,610/mo, a 3-bedroom averages $2,217/mo.

Prices range from $940 to $2,318 per month. The most common price point is the $1,200 range, where 37 units are currently listed.

Downtown Des Moines Rent Price History

Timeframe
View as table
Month Avg Rent Change Properties
June 2026 $1,548 - 6
July 2026 $1,460 -$88 8
August 2026 $1,422 -$38 7
September 2026 $1,413 -$9 7
October 2026 $1,352 -$61 7
November 2026 $1,451 +$99 6

The trend line and monthly averages track each building's average listed price, recorded daily with outliers trimmed. The current month is a month-to-date figure, so it can sit above or below today's live market average shown at the top of this page.

Average Rent by Bedroom

Rent Price Distribution

Rent by Bedroom Type in Downtown Des Moines

Studio
$966
from $940 · 16 units
1 Bed
$1,283
from $1,100 · 46 units
2 Bed
$1,610
from $1,460 · 31 units
3 Bed
$2,217
from $2,175 · 4 units

Rent Prices by Apartment in Downtown Des Moines

Property Starting at Average Units Rating
Cityville Apartments $940/mo $1,239/mo 42 4.4
District at 6th $1,048/mo $1,398/mo 23 3.5
Gateway Lofts $1,245/mo $1,441/mo 5 4.4
The Nexus at Gray's Landing $1,265/mo $1,427/mo 11 3.6
Level $1,334/mo $1,634/mo 15 4.7
Rocket Transfer Lofts $1,654/mo $1,654/mo 1 4.4

Frequently Asked Questions About Rent in Downtown Des Moines

How many bedrooms are you looking for?

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Any bedrooms

What is the average rent in Downtown Des Moines?
The average listed apartment rent in Downtown Des Moines is $1,374 per month, as of November 9, 2026. This sample includes 97 priced apartments in 6 buildings. These are tracked asking prices, not signed leases.

What rent range can I find in Downtown Des Moines?
The apartment listings we track in Downtown Des Moines range from $940 to $2,318 per month, as of November 9, 2026. These are the lowest and highest listed prices. They are not a typical price for every apartment. The building, floor plan, and lease terms can affect the price.

Are rents going up or down in Downtown Des Moines?
The daily building-average rent rose by $109 (8.1%) over 31 days between observations in October 2026 and November 2026. This compares recorded asking rents. The current month's figures may still be incomplete, and the building mix can change.

How much is a studio apartment in Downtown Des Moines?
Studio apartments average $966 per month across 16 priced listings in Downtown Des Moines. Listed rents range from $940 to $1,092 per month, as of November 9, 2026. Compare apartments with similar floor plans and lease terms.

How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in Downtown Des Moines?
1-bedroom apartments average $1,283 per month across 46 priced listings in Downtown Des Moines. Listed rents range from $1,100 to $1,595 per month, as of November 9, 2026. Compare apartments with similar floor plans and lease terms.

How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in Downtown Des Moines?
2-bedroom apartments average $1,610 per month across 31 priced listings in Downtown Des Moines. Listed rents range from $1,460 to $1,849 per month, as of November 9, 2026. Compare apartments with similar floor plans and lease terms.

How much is a 3-bedroom apartment in Downtown Des Moines?
3-bedroom apartments average $2,217 per month across 4 priced listings in Downtown Des Moines. Listed rents range from $2,175 to $2,318 per month, as of November 9, 2026. Compare apartments with similar floor plans and lease terms.

How do 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom rents compare in Downtown Des Moines?
The 1-bedroom average is $1,283 per month across 46 listings. The 2-bedroom average is $1,610 across 31 listings, $327 (25.5%) higher. This is a comparison of listing groups, not the cost to upgrade a specific apartment.

Which tracked building has the lowest starting rent in Downtown Des Moines?
Cityville Apartments has the lowest starting rent among the buildings in the comparison table, at $940 per month. We track 42 priced listings matching your bedroom choice in that building, as of November 9, 2026. The starting price applies to its lowest-priced matching apartment. Check that apartment's latest price and availability.

Which rent range has the most listings in Downtown Des Moines?
The $1,200 to $1,400 monthly range has the most matching listings: 37 units, or 38.1% of the priced apartments we track in Downtown Des Moines. This count does not tell us how fast the apartments rent.

How many apartment listings do you track in Downtown Des Moines?
We track 97 priced units at 6 apartment buildings, as of November 9, 2026. This is not the total number of apartments in those buildings. A listing can change or become unavailable. Open the apartment details to check its latest status.

How much rent history is available for Downtown Des Moines?
We have recorded rent data on 109 days from June 2026 through November 2026 for apartment listings in Downtown Des Moines. Some dates can be missing. The chart only shows recorded data. The current month includes the days recorded so far.

Why can the headline rent differ from the trend chart in Downtown Des Moines?
The average at the top of the page gives each matching apartment equal weight. The chart first averages recorded prices within each building, then compares buildings. It removes the highest and lowest groups when at least ten buildings contribute and omits days with fewer than five buildings. Different dates, building counts, and listing mixes can produce different figures. The monthly table averages the recorded daily figures.

Does my bedroom choice change the prices and answers?
Yes. Your chosen area and bedroom count filter the asking rents, listing counts, rent ranges, and answers on this page. The active community exclusions are Student housing and 55+ / senior community and Corporate housing and Military / active duty housing and Veteran housing. When you choose a bedroom count, the history chart uses recorded prices for matching apartments with a known identity. If those records are missing, we leave the chart empty rather than use prices for other bedroom types. Open an individual apartment to check its own price history.

Do these rents include utilities, parking, and other fees?
We use the published total monthly rent when it is available and the base rent otherwise. Unknown fees are not zero. Utilities, parking, pet charges, deposits, and one-time costs can add to the amount you pay. Check the selected unit and lease terms for a complete quote.

How should I compare free-rent offers with listed rent?
A free-rent offer can reduce the effective cost over a lease without changing the listed monthly rent. Compare the same lease length and move-in date, then include required charges and the offer conditions. The market averages do not assume an unconfirmed discount.

Does this page represent every rental in the market?
These figures describe the priced apartment listings we track, not every rental home or every occupied apartment. Coverage and the mix of bedrooms, buildings, and locations can change. A lower market average does not prove that the same apartment received a price cut.

How fresh are the Downtown Des Moines rent figures?
We schedule rent updates each day, but buildings can have different price-check dates. The latest accepted price check for these listings was November 9, 2026. The month label does not mean we checked every price today. Open the building or apartment details for its latest price and availability.

What salary do I need to live comfortably in Downtown Des Moines?

Built on the 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.

Minimum to afford average rent

$55,000/year

Based on the 30 percent rule, using our tracked average rent of $1,374/mo.

Comfortable income

$66,000/year

Based on the 25 percent rule, leaving more room for savings, transport, and groceries.

To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($940/mo), you need to earn at least $38,000/year.

Median household income in Downtown Des Moines is $63,966 , about 3% below the comfortable-living threshold.

Explore Downtown Des Moines Apartments

Browse all 6 communities with daily-updated pricing and availability.

Browse All Apartments Find Your Match

Cost of living in Downtown Des Moines

Overall prices in Downtown Des Moines 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 Downtown Des Moines's regional price parities.

Category Monthly estimate
Rent (market average) $1,374
Utilities $370
Groceries $522
Transportation $882
Healthcare $430
Other goods and services $688
Estimated total $4,266/mo

Population

212,464

Median household income

$63,966

Census median rent

$1,054/mo

Census rent burden

28.8%

Median age

34.6

Mean commute

20 min

Methodology

Rent data

We use listed asking rents and schedule daily data updates. Individual buildings can have different verification dates. Check the building or unit page for its latest price and availability.

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

We estimate annual income by dividing annual rent by 30 percent for the affordability figure and 25 percent for the comfortable-income figure. These estimates are a guide, not a guarantee of rental approval.

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.
Iowa Rent Trends
Compare rent across all Iowa cities
Explore Des Moines, IA on Map
See neighborhoods and rent data interactively
US-wide rent comparison
See how Des Moines, IA rents stack up against the national median

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