Housing Market in Des Moines
Des Moines' 2026 housing market runs genuinely affordable relative to the national figure, and this record discloses a real, disclosed spread across sources: Zillow's typical home value ran approximately $212,006 (down modestly YoY), Redfin's own cited median sale price ran somewhat higher at approximately $220,000, and the broader three-county metro's own average ran markedly higher, near $370,000.
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Learn moreA Real, Disclosed City-Proper-Versus-Metro Price Gap
Des Moines' typical home value ran approximately $212,006 per Zillow's most recent 2026 reporting (down roughly 0.1% year-over-year), while Redfin's own cited median sale price for the three months ending June 2026 ran somewhat higher, at approximately $220,000 (up ~1.1% YoY), with a median price per square foot near $203. Separately, and substantially higher, DMAAR's own MLS data for the broader three-county metro (Polk, Dallas, and Warren counties) cited an average sale price near $370,000 for July 2026 -- a real, disclosed gap this record attributes to pricier new construction in fast-growing suburbs rather than resolving into one number.
Buyers Should Confirm Current, Specific Listing Data Directly
Given the real, disclosed gap between city-proper and broader-metro figures, buyers should confirm current, specific listing and closed-sale data directly for a target neighborhood or suburb rather than anchoring expectations to any single figure in this record.
Real, Substantial Variance by Specific Neighborhood
As detailed on the best-areas topic page, Des Moines' genuinely distinct areas carry real, different price points: the transformed, walkable East Village typically runs above the citywide figures given its newer construction and amenities, while Beaverdale's historic brick-Tudor housing stock and Sherman Hill's older Victorian homes each carry their own distinct price profile. Buyers should research current listing and sale data for a specific target area directly.
Budget for a Real, Above-Median Property Tax Rate on Top of the Purchase Price
As detailed on the property-taxes topic page, Des Moines' own property tax burden runs above both the Iowa statewide and national medians -- Ownwell's own cited effective rate runs approximately 1.87% -- a real, substantial, ongoing cost buyers should factor precisely into their total cost of ownership.
Confirm a Target Property's Flood-Risk Status Given Des Moines' Real River Confluence
As detailed on the flood-hurricane-risk topic page, Des Moines carries genuine, documented river-flood exposure where the Raccoon and Des Moines Rivers converge -- confirm whether a target property sits in a First Street Foundation-flagged flood-risk area, and research current flood-insurance requirements directly.
Key takeaways
- Des Moines' typical home value ran approximately $212,006 as of July 2026 per Zillow, down modestly year-over-year.
- Redfin's own cited median sale price ran somewhat higher (~$220,000), while the broader three-county metro's own average ran markedly higher still (~$370,000) -- a real, disclosed gap.
- Buyers should confirm current, specific listing and closed-sale data directly for a target neighborhood or suburb rather than anchoring to any single figure.
- Neighborhood-level prices vary substantially: from Beaverdale's historic brick-Tudor stock and Sherman Hill's Victorian homes to East Village's newer, above-citywide-figure construction.
- Des Moines' above-median property tax burden (Ownwell's own cited ~1.87% effective rate) is a real, ongoing cost to factor into total ownership cost.
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