West Des Moines, Iowa Population 2024

73,300

West Des Moines Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of West Des Moines was:

  • White: 80.36%
  • Asian: 7.34%
  • Two or more races: 6.32%
  • Black or African American: 3.55%
  • Other race: 2.41%
  • Native American: 0.01%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0%
State
Iowa
Land Area (mi²)
47.3 sq mi
Density (mi²)
1,549.90/sq mi
Growth Since 2020
6.36% (4,381)
The current population of West Des Moines, Iowa is 73,300 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates (released May 2024). The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 68,919.

Population by Race

Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White56,16880.36%
Asian5,1327.34%
Two or more races4,4176.32%
Black or African American2,4843.55%
Other race1,6822.41%
Native American100.01%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander00%

White

Asian

Two or more races

Black or African American

Other race

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

West Des Moines Population by Race

West Des Moines Population Pyramid 2024

West Des Moines Median Age

36.5

Total

36.1

Male

36.9

Female

West Des Moines Adults

There are 55,055 adults, (10,228 of whom are seniors) in West Des Moines.

West Des Moines Age Dependency

55.9

Age Dependency Ratio

22.8

Old Age Dependency Ratio

33.1

Child Dependency Ratio

West Des Moines Sex Ratio

Female34,90949.95%
Male34,98450.05%

West Des Moines Population by Age

West Des Moines Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All31,8252.1857.442.6
Non Family14,9251.2538.461.6
Married13,2053.0780.819.2
Female2,2172.740.359.7
Male1,4782.9664.235.8

2.96

Average Family Size

2.18

Average Household Size

57.4%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

West Des Moines Households and Families

Male

Female

Education Attained
Count
Percentage
9th to 12th Grade1,0582.16%
Associates Degree4,7939.77%
Bachelors Degree17,50435.68%
Graduate Degree9,27518.91%
High School Graduate7,90816.12%
Less Than 9th Grade7751.58%
Some College7,74415.79%

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

West Des Moines Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

West Des Moines Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

Race
Total
High School
Bachelors
White39,81939,21722,402
Asian3,2812,9292,166
Hispanic2,5631,952704
2+ Races2,3412,2521,198
Black1,7481,515600
Other Race1,103762242
Native American10108

The highest rate of high school graduation is among native american people with a rate of 100%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among native american people with a rate of 80%.

West Des Moines Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$69,716$76,505$63,185
Graduate Degree$92,592$107,066$74,379
High School Graduate$36,434$41,785$34,078
Less Than 9th Grade$31,947$34,432$22,500
Overall$58,891$66,455$49,868
Some College$46,091$52,820$42,788

$58,891

Average Earnings

$66,455

Average Male

$49,868

Average Female

West Des Moines Earnings by Educational Attainment

West Des Moines Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

West Des Moines Language

86.37% of West Des Moines residents speak only English, while 13.63% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Asian and Pacific Island languages, which is spoken by 4.7% of the population.

West Des Moines Language

West Des Moines Poverty by Race

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
White54,2983,2756.03%
Multiple4,40667415.3%
Asian5,13257711.24%
Hispanic4,23643910.36%
Black2,46326410.72%
Other1,6821156.84%

7.28%

Overall Poverty Rate

5.98%

Male Poverty Rate

8.58%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in West Des Moines

The race most likely to be in poverty in West Des Moines is Multiple, with 15.3% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in West Des Moines is White, with 6.03% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.11%. Among those working part-time, it was 13.76%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 13.68%.

West Des Moines Poverty

rate

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade26.42%
High School10.69%
Some College6.87%
Bachelors or Greater4.03%

West Des Moines Poverty Rate by Education

rate

Rate
Poverty
Male Unemployed37.55%
Female Unemployed31.86%
Female Employed6.22%
Male Employed3.72%

West Des Moines Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

West Des Moines Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

Name
Median
Mean
Families$118,713$157,643
Households$84,925$121,291
Married Families$143,300$-999,999,999
Non Families$62,572$78,629

mean

median

Income by Household Type

West Des Moines Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

48.1%

Overall Marriage Rate

49.3%

Male Marriage Rate

47.0%

Female Marriage Rate

West Des Moines Married by Age and Sex

male

female

West Des Moines Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.

West Des Moines Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

West Des Moines Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

3,077

Number of Veterans

2,739

Male Veterans

338

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
Second Gulf War1,057
First Gulf War756
Vietnam689
Korea176
World War II111

West Des Moines Veterans by War

count

Age Group
Veterans
35 to 54938
75+680
55 to 64561
65 to 74544
18 to 34354

West Des Moines Veterans by Age

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White2,7005.95%
Black1618.49%
Hispanic983.2%
2+ Races943.4%
Asian631.69%
Other Race594.82%

West Des Moines Veterans by Race

West Des Moines Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

2.98%

Veteran Poverty Rate

23.14%

Veteran Disability Rate

West Des Moines Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

73.9%

Labor Force Participation

71.9%

Employment Rate

2.5%

Unemployment Rate

West Des Moines Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

West Des Moines Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

West Des Moines Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

61.79%

Born in West Des Moines

88.71%

Native Born

11.29%

Foreign Born

6.34%

Non Citizen

4.95%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

88.71% of West Des Moines residents were born in the United States, with 61.79% having been born in Iowa. 6.34% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.

West Des Moines Place of Birth

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change
Year
Population
Growth
Change
202978,7761,0951.41%
202877,6811,0951.43%
202776,5861,0961.45%
202675,4901,0951.47%
202574,3951,0951.49%
202473,3001,0951.52%
202372,2051,4482.05%
202270,7578401.2%
202169,9179981.45%
202068,9191,0081.48%
201967,9111,3071.96%
201866,6041,0491.6%
201765,5559581.48%
201664,5971,1081.75%
201563,4891,6622.69%
201461,8272,0943.51%
201359,7331,5812.72%
201258,1525901.02%
201157,5626991.23%
201056,86300%
200046,40314,70146.37%
199031,7029,80844.8%
198021,8945,45333.17%
197016,4414,49237.59%
196011,9496,334112.8%
19505,6151,36332.06%
19404,252-74,524-94.6%

West Des Moines Population by Year