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Rental Market Trends in Des Moines, IA

What is the average rent in Des Moines, IA?

$984/month

Average Rent

645 Sq Ft

Average Apartment Size

+0.2%

Increase in the Last Year

As of December 2025, the average rent in Des Moines, IA is $984 per month. This is 40% lower than the national average rent of $1,631/month, making renting in Des Moines more affordable than most cities in the US. When you rent an apartment in Des Moines, you can expect to pay about $814 per month for a studio, $984 for a one-bedroom apartment, and around $1,091 for a two-bedroom apartment. If you opt for a three-bedroom rental, you could pay $1,441 or more.

Floor Plan Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Studio
$814/month
452 Sq Ft
One Bedroom
$984/month
645 Sq Ft
Two Bedroom
$1,091/month
917 Sq Ft
Three Bedroom
$1,441/month
1,215 Sq Ft
Floor Plan Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
One Bedroom
$871/month
629 Sq Ft
Two Bedroom
$1,120/month
846 Sq Ft
Three Bedroom
$1,620/month
1,202 Sq Ft
Four Bedroom
$2,197/month
1,650 Sq Ft
Floor Plan Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
One Bedroom
$911/month
703 Sq Ft
Two Bedroom
$1,444/month
782 Sq Ft
Three Bedroom
$1,325/month
1,153 Sq Ft
Floor Plan Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Two Bedroom
$1,353/month
878 Sq Ft
Three Bedroom
$1,855/month
1,471 Sq Ft

How much has average rent changed in Des Moines, IA?

In the past year, rent has increased by 0.2%, which averages out to $2 more per month.

Market Trends Over Time   The chart below compares average rent prices to the previous year during the same time period.
Last Updated December 2025
Legend
2024 2025
Market Trends Over Time
Rent Ranges in Des Moines, IA
Last Updated December 2025
$700 - $1,000
Most rental prices fall within this range
Rent Ranges in Des Moines, IA
Percentage*
Rent Range
11% Below $700/month
56% $700 - $1,000/month
26% $1,001 - $1,500/month
4% $1,501 - $2,000/month
3% Above $2,000/month

Rent by Neighborhood

Last Updated Today
  • Most Affordable
  • Most Expensive
  • Most Available

What are the most affordable neighborhoods in Des Moines?

Based on current rent prices, Highland Park, Campus Park-Wright's Grove and Martin-Hickman are the most affordable neighborhoods in Des Moines.

Calculate Rent Affordability
Neighborhood
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Highland Park
$625/month
597 Sq Ft
Campus Park-Wright's Grove
$649/month
622 Sq Ft
Martin-Hickman
$695/month
575 Sq Ft
Lyons Park
$698/month
618 Sq Ft
Fort Des Moines
$728/month
609 Sq Ft
Pioneer Park
$783/month
619 Sq Ft
Ewing Woods-Evergreen
$784/month
649 Sq Ft
Watrous South
$805/month
613 Sq Ft
Clover Acres
$809/month
621 Sq Ft
Merle Hay
$831/month
588 Sq Ft

What are the most expensive neighborhoods in Des Moines?

Based on current rent prices, Downtown Des Moines, Western Gateway and Capitol View South are the most expensive neighborhoods in Des Moines.

Calculate Rent Affordability
Neighborhood
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Downtown Des Moines
$1,280/month
702 Sq Ft
Western Gateway
$1,270/month
607 Sq Ft
Capitol View South
$1,236/month
675 Sq Ft
Civic Historic District
$1,224/month
686 Sq Ft
Sherman Hill Historic District
$1,197/month
705 Sq Ft
Polk Hubbell Park
$1,188/month
610 Sq Ft
East Village
$1,187/month
690 Sq Ft
Court District
$1,187/month
689 Sq Ft
Haines Park-Owl's Head Estates
$1,184/month
726 Sq Ft
Sherman Hill
$1,179/month
696 Sq Ft

Which Des Moines neighborhoods have the most rentals available?

The neighborhoods in Des Moines with the most apartments available are Downtown Des Moines, Court District and East Village .

Calculate Rent Affordability
Neighborhood
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Downtown Des Moines
$1,280/month
702 Sq Ft
Court District
$1,187/month
689 Sq Ft
East Village
$1,187/month
690 Sq Ft
Capitol View South
$1,236/month
675 Sq Ft
Civic Historic District
$1,224/month
686 Sq Ft
Western Gateway
$1,270/month
607 Sq Ft
Sherman Hill
$1,179/month
696 Sq Ft
Haines Park-Owl's Head Estates
$1,184/month
726 Sq Ft
Southwestern Hills
$839/month
653 Sq Ft
Sherman Hill Historic District
$1,197/month
705 Sq Ft
This information is based on data collected by CoStar Group researchers.†

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

Because the average rent in Des Moines is $984, you’ll want to make about $3,280 per month or $39,360 per year. The general guideline is to pay no more than 30 percent of your monthly income on rent. However, you’ll want to consider additional factors, such as your monthly bills and other expenses. Use our rent affordability calculator to help determine how much to budget for rent.

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Des Moines, IA is 15.2% lower than the national average. Generally, housing in Des Moines is 35.6% less expensive than the national average, with rent falling between $814 - $1,441. You can expect to pay 1.7% less for groceries, 19.7% less for utilities, and 3.1% less for transportation.

City

Des Moines, IA

2,667 Available Apartments for Rent

Search for Nearby Apartments

How does Des Moines, IA compare to other nearby cities and neighborhoods?

Use the tool below to compare Des Moines, IA to other nearby cities and neighborhoods. The Apartments.com neighborhood guides provide you with insight into the area’s transportation, things to do, and more.

Explore the Area Guide for Des Moines, IA

Apartment Averages

Highland Park

Des Moines, IA

Downtown Des Moines

Des Moines, IA

Studio
-
$886/month
One Bedroom
-
$1,169/month
Two Bedroom
-
$1,609/month
Three Bedroom
-
$2,173/month
Search
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Nearby City Rent Trends

  • Altoona Average Rent
  • West Des Moines Average Rent
  • Johnston Average Rent

Apartment communities in Des Moines we think you'll love

Cityville

Cityville

550 SW 9th St,
Des Moines, IA 50309

$950 - $2,810

Studio - 3 Beds

Rowat Lofts Apartments

Rowat Lofts Apartments

601 E Vine St,
Des Moines, IA 50309

$780 - $1,440

Studio - 2 Beds

The Meridian

The Meridian

425 SW 11th St,
Des Moines, IA 50309

$1,286 - $2,470

Studio - 2 Beds

418 East Grand

418 East Grand

418 E Grand Ave,
Des Moines, IA 50309

$755 - $1,385

Studio - 2 Beds

Property Management Companies in Des Moines, IA

Indigo Living
Indigo Living
  • 36

    Communities

  • 5,550

    Units

  • 13

    Cities

16 Communities in Des Moines
Newbury Living
Newbury Living
  • 26

    Communities

  • 1,906

    Units

  • 8

    Cities

15 Communities in Des Moines
Knapp Properties, LC.
Knapp Properties, LC.
  • 20

    Communities

  • 1,343

    Units

  • 4

    Cities

15 Communities in Des Moines
Kouri Management Inc.
Kouri Management Inc.
  • 27

    Communities

  • 1,491

    Units

  • 7

    Cities

9 Communities in Des Moines
Sherman Associates
Sherman Associates
  • 30

    Communities

  • 4,348

    Units

  • 12

    Cities

8 Communities in Des Moines
Hubbell Realty Company
Hubbell Realty Company
  • 27

    Communities

  • 2,561

    Units

  • 10

    Cities

8 Communities in Des Moines
Conlin Companies, Inc.
Conlin Companies, Inc.
  • 13

    Communities

  • 1,593

    Units

  • 6

    Cities

8 Communities in Des Moines
Perennial Properties Management
Perennial Properties Management
  • 12

    Communities

  • 598

    Units

  • 5

    Cities

7 Communities in Des Moines

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United States Iowa Des Moines Rental Trends

Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in November 2025.

* Percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.

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