Mezzo on Walnut
606 Walnut St,
Des Moines, IA 50309
$1,100 - $2,900
Studio - 2 Beds
$1,010/month
Average Rent
644 Sq Ft
Average Apartment Size
+0.3%
Increase in the Last Year
As of June 2026, the average rent in Des Moines, IA is $1,010 per month. This is 39% lower than the national average rent of $1,644/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 $850 per month for a studio, $1,010 for a one-bedroom apartment, and around $1,120 for a two-bedroom apartment. If you opt for a three-bedroom rental, you could pay $1,529 or more.
In the past year, rent has increased by 0.3%, which averages out to $4 more per month.
Based on current rent prices, Chesterfield, Indianola Hills and Watrous South are the most affordable neighborhoods in Des Moines.
Based on current rent prices, Greenwood, Downtown Des Moines and East Village are the most expensive neighborhoods in Des Moines.
The neighborhoods in Des Moines with the most apartments available are Downtown Des Moines, East Village and Southwestern Hills .
Because the average rent in Des Moines is $1,010, you’ll want to make about $3,366 per month or $40,392 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.
The cost of living in Des Moines, IA is 16.9% lower than the national average. Generally, housing in Des Moines is 37.2% less expensive than the national average, with rent falling between $850 - $1,529. You can expect to pay 1.7% less for groceries, 21.2% less for utilities, and 0.9% less for transportation.
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.
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† 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 June 2026.
Demographic information comes from Neustar and combines detailed address data with U.S. Census and American Community Survey statistics to produce reliable local estimates.
* Percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.