cityverdict.info
United States

Pros and Cons of Living in Des Moines

Pros of living in Des Moines

    Cons of living in Des Moines

      More Des Moines guides
      At a glance

      Useful facts for planning

      Key city facts that help put the pros and cons in context.

      Urban-centre area143.0 km²

      Matched harmonised GHSL urban-centre footprint; this may differ from the municipal boundary. View source

      Around the city

      Des Moines in context

      Population scale, nearby city options and other geographic context that may affect your plans.

      Size within United States#79 of 2,573

      Population position among the city records used for this guide. Source

      Size within Iowa#1 of 27

      Population position among the included cities in the recorded region. Source

      Nearby city options8 within 100 km

      Straight-line map distance; actual journey times can be very different. Source

      Nearby city to compareOmaha · ~207 km

      A nearby same-country city with a broadly similar population scale. Source

      Daylight through the year8 h 59 min–15 h 1 min

      Approximate shortest-to-longest astronomical day length.

      Urban-centre area143.0 km²

      Harmonised GHSL urban-centre area; it may not match the municipal boundary. Source

      Planning

      How to evaluate a normal week in Des Moines

      A scouting visit, longer trial and housing decision answer different questions; test the routine you would actually repeat.

      Test an ordinary weekday

      Choose a realistic neighbourhood and map the repeated routes—work or study, groceries, healthcare, exercise, childcare or social commitments—not just weekend activities.

      Re-test the budget

      Use current housing and transport from the same neighbourhood scenario. A cheap-looking home can stop being cheap if the routine around it is costly or impractical.

      Sources

      Sources for this guide

      Only sources that contribute to facts shown on this page are listed here.

      Simplemaps World Cities

      Core city facts and geographic comparisons used on this page.

      Population definitions can differ from municipal or harmonised urban-centre boundaries.
      Open source
      GeoNames

      Time-zone and elevation reference used in the city facts above.

      Its population field does not replace the Simplemaps source population.
      Open source
      GHSL Urban Centre Database

      Harmonised urban-centre measurements used in the city facts above.

      The GHSL urban-centre boundary can differ materially from municipal or other city definitions.
      Open source
      Before you decide

      Things to check now

      1. Choose two or three realistic neighbourhoods rather than judging Des Moines as one uniform place.
      2. Compare current rent, utilities, deposits and recurring housing costs from actual listings in those areas.
      3. Test the door-to-door work or study route at the times you would really travel.
      4. Map groceries, healthcare, exercise, social life and essential weekly services from the same address.
      Reference

      Des Moines at a glance

      Population570,000
      CountryUnited States
      RegionIowa
      StatusRegional capital
      Coordinates41.57°N, 93.61°W
      Time zoneAmerica/Chicago
      Elevation record266 m
      GHSL urban-centre area143.0 km²
      Common questions

      Questions about Des Moines

      What should I check before deciding?

      Choose two or three realistic neighbourhoods rather than judging Des Moines as one uniform place. Compare current rent, utilities, deposits and recurring housing costs from actual listings in those areas.

      Compare alternatives

      Other cities to compare with Des Moines

      DavenportIowa · 281,000→Cedar RapidsIowa · 195,000→Iowa CityIowa · 134,000→WaterlooIowa · 120,000→Sioux CityIowa · 113,000→AnkenyIowa · 73,000→New YorkNew York · 19.3 million→Los AngelesCalifornia · 12 million→
      How this guide worksWhat the comparisons mean

      This guide combines city data with the source types that are relevant to this specific page. A fact is not treated as automatically positive or negative: the pros and cons explain how it may help or complicate the specific kind of visit or move covered by this page.

      Fast-changing details such as prices, opening hours, visas, safety conditions, housing and exact journey times should always be checked again before you make a booking or commitment. Read the full methodology · Report a correction.