Rent by ZIP code in Des Moines
| ZIP code | County | Typical rent | vs city median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50309 | Polk County | $1,261 | +13% |
| 50317 | Polk County | $1,252 | +12% |
| 50316 | Polk County | $1,228 | +10% |
| 50320 | Polk County | $1,220 | +10% |
| 50312 | Polk County | $1,144 | +3% |
| 50314 | Polk County | $1,082 | -3% |
| 50315 | Polk County | $1,073 | -4% |
| 50321 | Polk County | $1,057 | -5% |
| 50311 | Polk County | $942 | -15% |
| 50310 | Polk County | $913 | -18% |
Rent by bedroom count in Des Moines
Zillow's index above blends every unit size into one number. For a bedroom level view, these are HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for Polk County. They include utilities and sit near the 40th percentile of the market, so treat them as the low side of what a typical unit lists for. Polk County uses Small Area FMRs, and the two bedroom figure runs from $1,160 to $1,430 depending on the Des Moines ZIP code.
| Unit size | FY2027 Fair Market Rent | Change from FY2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,102 | +3.7% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,145 | +3.2% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,360 | +3.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,856 | +3.5% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,901 | +3.3% |
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Updates when HUD publishes a new fiscal year.
Is rent going up or down in Des Moines?
Typical rent across Polk County is $1,220 as of September 2026. That is up 1.6% from a year earlier and up 13.6% over five years.
| Year | Typical rent, Polk County | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $1,096 | +5.7% |
| 2022 | $1,161 | +6.0% |
| 2023 | $1,187 | +2.2% |
| 2024 | $1,217 | +2.5% |
| 2025 | $1,208 | -0.7% |
| 2026 (through September) | $1,220 | +1.0% |
Zillow Observed Rent Index for the county, all home types, last published month of each year. Each row is compared with the end of the year before it.
Des Moines rent questions
- What is the average rent in Des Moines, IA?
- Typical asking rent in Des Moines is $1,113 a month as of September 2026, across 10 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $913 to $1,261.
- How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Des Moines?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Polk County is $1,360 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $1,145 and a three bedroom is $1,856. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
- Is rent going up or down in Des Moines?
- Rent is rising. Typical rent in Polk County is $1,220 as of September 2026, up 1.6% from a year earlier.
- What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Des Moines?
- ZIP 50310 has the lowest typical asking rent in Des Moines at $913 a month, compared with $1,113 for the city overall.
- How much income do you need to rent in Des Moines?
- Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Des Moines rent of $1,113, that is about $3,339 a month, or $40,068 a year. This is a common screening rule of thumb, and individual landlords set their own.
How to use these numbers
These are Zillow Observed Rent Index values, a smoothed measure of typical asking rent for single family homes, condos, and apartments in each ZIP code. They describe what units are listed for, not what any specific unit will get. Condition, bedroom count, and the exact block all move the number.
If you are underwriting a purchase, use the ZIP figure rather than the city median, and then verify against live listings for the same bedroom count before you commit. Des Moines sits in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area.