West Des Moines, IA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Iowa·West Des Moines

Polk County · Des Moines-West Des Moines · population 73,664

West Des Moines, IA
Image: Wikipedia · West Des Moines, Iowa
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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67
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where West Des Moines stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $324,340
1-year +1.2%
5-yr CAGR +4.4%
vs 5-yr peak -0.1%
Population +1.8%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-02$324k$195k$243k$290k$338k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
30/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
85/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,341/mo$1,042$1,232$1,422202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent124121100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 20.2
Lean rent

At a 20.2 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in West Des Moines. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
56 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
61 · w22%
Distance from peak
89 · w18%
Population growth
76 · w16%
Rent YoY
62 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
57 · w10%
Long thesis

West Des Moines has held up across the cycle: home values at $324,340 with +4.4% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

West Des Moines's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About West Des Moines

West Des Moines is a city in Polk County, Iowa, with an estimated population of 73,664. It anchors the Des Moines-West Des Moines metro area. The population grew 1.8% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in West Des Moines is $324,340 as of 2026-04, up 1.2% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +4.4% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in West Des Moines average $1,341 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.5%). The composite momentum score is 67 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Net positive migration: population up 1.8% per year — demand fundamentals are intact.
●Held the highs: currently -0.1% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About West Des Moines (Wikipedia)

West Des Moines is a city in Iowa, United States. Most of the city is in Polk County, some of it is in Dallas County, and small portions extend into Warren and Madison Counties.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorRuss Trimble
Area48.22 sq mi
Elevation955 ft
EstablishedOctober 9, 1893
Density1454.86/sq mi

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Polk County right now.

NWS active alerts (IA)Iowa Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Polk County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like West Des Moines

Urbandale, IA65 · RisingJohnston, IA65 · RisingAnkeny, IA69 · RisingClive, IA66 · Rising

Run the numbers for West Des Moines

ToolCan I afford West Des Moines?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a West Des Moines rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare West Des Moines to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolWest Des Moines cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
28° / 11°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
84° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
200
~55% of year
Annual precip
36″ rain
30″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
High
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
High

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current West Des Moines listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Des Moines-West Des Moines area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
72%
Humid climate
Median household income
$70,500
Iowa state median
Top industries (state-level)
InsuranceManufacturingAgriculture

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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