House Charts

Des Moines Housing Market: Home Prices & Rent

Updated September 2026 data · metro area
Des Moines home values are up 0.5% over the past year, to a typical $293k. Typical rent is $1,280 a month (+2.1% in a year).
Typical home value
$293k
+0.5% (+$1,532) in 12 months
Since Dec 2019
+36%
from $214k
Typical rent
$1,280/mo
+2.1% in 12 months
Income needed to buy
$87k/yr
20% down, 30% of income
Days to go under contract
58
September 2026

Des Moines home values since 2000

$100k$150k$200k$250k$300k2000200420082012201620202024Peak $294k (Mar 2026)Now $293k

Last few years

$200k$225k$250k$275k$300k20192020202120222023202420252026Peak $294k (Mar 2026)Now $293k

Rent in Des Moines

$900$1,000$1,100$1,200$1,300201520172019202120232025Now $1,280

Owning vs renting, monthly

Buying the typical Des Moines home with 20% down at this week's 7.32% 30-year rate costs about $1,973/month (principal, interest plus ~1.5% a year for tax and insurance) vs $1,280/month typical rent.

Rate: Freddie Mac, week of Oct 22, 2026. Estimate for comparison only.

Des Moines vs Iowa vs the U.S.

Typical home12-month changeTypical rent
This metro$293k+0.5%$1,280/mo
Iowa$237k+3.3%-
United States$366k+1.2%$1,932/mo

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Common questions

Are home prices falling in Des Moines?

No - the typical Des Moines-area home value is up 0.5% over the past 12 months, at $293k (September 2026).

Is the Des Moines housing market crashing?

Home values are close to their 2020s high and up 0.5% over the past year - a rising market, not a sudden collapse. Whether that continues isn't knowable from the data - this page updates every month when new figures come out.

How much is rent in Des Moines?

Typical rent in the Des Moines metro is $1,280 a month (September 2026), +2.1% over 12 months.

How much income do you need to buy a home in Des Moines?

About $87k a year to afford the typical home with 20% down, spending no more than 30% of income on housing (September 2026).

Nearby and similar metros

Indianapolis, IN · Lakeland, FL · Buffalo, NY · Houston, TX

Sources: Data Provided by Zillow Group (Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index, September 2026; income needed and listing data). 30-year mortgage rate: Freddie Mac PMMS. Figures are for the Des Moines, IA metro area. How we calculate.