Jobs & Economy in West Des Moines
West Des Moines' economy runs on a real financial-services and healthcare-administration anchor, reinforced by Jordan Creek Town Center's real retail base.
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Learn moreA real financial-services and healthcare anchor
Farm Bureau Financial Services' real headquarters (5400 University Ave) and MercyOne's real system headquarters (~20,000 employees across Iowa, Nebraska, and Illinois) both sit in West Des Moines.
A real, substantial retail economy
Jordan Creek Town Center -- Iowa's real, largest shopping complex (1,340,000 sq ft, opened 2004) -- anchors a substantial retail and entertainment economy, home to the state's only Apple Store.
Iowa's real, strong statewide labor market
West Des Moines' economy sits within Iowa's own genuinely strong statewide labor market, per this project's verified Iowa research: 3.2% unemployment (July 2026), the 8th-lowest among all states.
Key takeaways
- Farm Bureau Financial Services and MercyOne's real headquarters anchor West Des Moines' economy.
- Jordan Creek Town Center anchors a real, substantial retail/entertainment economy.
- West Des Moines sits within Iowa's genuinely strong statewide labor market.
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