Cost of living in the Des Moines Metro Area
6 counties across IA. Population: 720,331.
Last updated May 22, 2026
Rent in the Des Moines Metro Area
Average rent across the Des Moines-West Des Moines metro area, weighted by county population.
Source: HUD FMR + ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Income and earnings in the Des Moines Metro Area
Earnings data averaged across all 6 counties.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Home values in the Des Moines Metro Area
Average home values and annual property tax across the metro.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Energy costs in the Des Moines Metro Area
Residential electricity and natural gas estimates.
Source: EIA (state averages applied per county, weighted)
All 6 counties in the Des Moines Metro Area
The Des Moines-West Des Moines metro area includes 6 counties. Sorted by population.
- Des Moines IA$3,200/moPop497,441 Rent$1,017/mo Income$81,621/yrDes Moines IA 497,441 $1,017/mo $81,621/yr $3,200/mo
- Dallas County IA$3,418/moPop104,136 Rent$1,017/mo Income$102,349/yrDallas County IA 104,136 $1,017/mo $102,349/yr $3,418/mo
- Warren County IA$3,232/moPop53,484 Rent$1,017/mo Income$92,990/yrWarren County IA 53,484 $1,017/mo $92,990/yr $3,232/mo
- Jasper County IA$2,786/moPop37,864 Rent$711/mo Income$70,128/yrJasper County IA 37,864 $711/mo $70,128/yr $2,786/mo
- Madison County IA$3,245/moPop16,760 Rent$1,017/mo Income$89,542/yrMadison County IA 16,760 $1,017/mo $89,542/yr $3,245/mo
- Guthrie County IA$3,131/moPop10,646 Rent$1,017/mo Income$79,981/yrGuthrie County IA 10,646 $1,017/mo $79,981/yr $3,131/mo
Compare counties in the Des Moines Metro Area
Put two counties side by side to see how rent, taxes and everyday costs stack up across the metro.
Open comparison toolFrequently asked questions about the Des Moines Metro Area
Common questions about cost of living in the metro area.
What is the cost of living in the Des Moines Metro Area?
The estimated average cost of living in the Des Moines-West Des Moines metro area is approximately $3,212 per month for a single person. This is a population-weighted average across the 6 counties that make up the metro area.
What is the average rent in the Des Moines Metro Area?
The average one-bedroom rent across the Des Moines-West Des Moines metro area is $1,001 per month, based on HUD Fair Market Rent data weighted by county population.
What is the cheapest county in the Des Moines Metro Area?
Jasper County, IA is the most affordable county in the Des Moines-West Des Moines metro area at approximately $2,786 per month for a single person.
What is the most expensive county in the Des Moines Metro Area?
Dallas County, IA is the most expensive county in the Des Moines-West Des Moines metro area at approximately $3,418 per month for a single person.
How many counties are in the Des Moines Metro Area?
The Des Moines-West Des Moines metro area covers 6 counties. The five largest by population are Des Moines, Dallas County, Warren County, Jasper County, Madison County.
Use this research
Journalists, researchers and bloggers are welcome to cite and share this analysis. Please include a follow link back to this page when referencing our data. For bespoke analysis, expert comment, or high-resolution graphics, get in touch via our press office.
About this data
All figures come from official U.S. government sources. Metro-area averages are population-weighted across constituent counties using Census ACS population estimates.