Living in West Des Moines, IA
Suburb in Iowa
West Des Moines is a suburb in Iowa, home to about 70,000 people, with 632,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, a car is essential. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is West Des Moines a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $316k and rents for $1,790 a month
- Mild summers: highs around 84°F
- Easy flying: DSM is 7 mi away
- Low natural disaster risk: 10 federally declared disasters since 2000
👎 Cons
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
- Fewer family amenities than most places
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Smaller job market: about 632,000 people live within 31 mi
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how West Des Moines ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in West Des Moines: common questions
What is the cost of living in West Des Moines?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $316k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,790 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 92, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in West Des Moines?
Iowa collects about $1,192 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.6% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is West Des Moines safe?
West Des Moines isn't in the FBI's 2019 city crime table, so Best Life Fit Me counts its safety as average.
What is the weather like in West Des Moines?
West Des Moines has cold winters: winter days average around 34°F and summer days around 84°F, with roughly 37″ of snow a year.
Does West Des Moines get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding and tornadoes: 10 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.69 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to West Des Moines?
The nearest major airport is DSM, about 7 mi away.
How West Des Moines scores
Each bar compares West Des Moines with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Nearby
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Is West Des Moines right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.