Des Moines, Washington
Among the top 8% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 10% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A, better than 92% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 27% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 88% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 61% of US places
- top 1% for airport distance
- top 3% for walkability
- bottom 4% for property crime
Des Moines is a mid-size city in Washington with about 33,000 residents. It grades A for weather and D for affordability. Standout strengths include airport distance, walkability, and comfortable days. It rates lower on sales tax and property crime.
Official websitedesmoineswa.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
cold
cool
comfortable
warm
comf.
cool
cold
70%30%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.2 in1.1 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$81k73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$56kbetter than 18% of US places
Home Value$483k90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 12% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 14% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.04%better than 48% of US places
Income Tax0.00%better than 92% of US places
Sales Tax9.38%better than 6% of US places
Estimated total tax burden9.26%better than 58% of US places
Unemployment8.2%better than 19% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)43°F76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)67°F6th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation40.1 in44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall6.3 inbetter than 66% of US places
Sunny Days217 daysbetter than 33% of US places
Summer Humidity53°Fbetter than 87% of US places
Comfortable Days119 daysbetter than 93% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk86.3better than 16% of US places
Air Quality41 AQIbetter than 72% of US places
School Quality86.0better than 79% of US places
Violent Crime1103/100kbetter than 31% of US places
Property Crime3494/100kbetter than 4% of US places
Community
Population32,66796th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age38.237th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6797th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9337th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+1220th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)49.9%18th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)9.6%83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)18.2%84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)12.1%96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)10.3%89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time30 minbetter than 24% of US places
Walkability13.7/20better than 97% of US places
Airport Distance5 mibetter than 99% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access93.7%better than 78% of US places
Amenities Nearby168.37better than 66% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 25% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Des Moines an affordable place to live?
- Des Moines is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $56k, better than 18% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Des Moines?
- The median home value in Des Moines is $483k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Des Moines?
- Median household income in Des Moines is $81k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Des Moines?
- Median gross rent in Des Moines is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Des Moines safe?
- Des Moines is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1103/100k (better than 31%). Property crime is 3494/100k.
- What is the weather like in Des Moines?
- Des Moines averages 67°F in July and 43°F in January, with 40.1 in of annual precipitation and about 217 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Des Moines?
- Public-school quality in Des Moines is above average, scoring better than 79% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Des Moines?
- The average one-way commute in Des Moines is 30 min.
Other places in Pierce County
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)