The Town FilesDes Moines, Washington
City in King County · population 32,888 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $597,000
- Household income
- $92,483
- Jan low / Jul high
- 38° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 38.0
Des Moines is a city of 32,888 people in King County, Washington. The median home is worth $597,000, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks more walkable than 97% of Washington towns, better transit than 96% of Washington towns, more vibrant than 93% of Washington towns.
How Des Moines ranks
Percentile among Washington towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Washington towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Des Moines is worth $597,000, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 6.5 times the median household income of $92,483, which is more affordable than 19% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,799 a month. 60.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Des Moines | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $597,000 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,799 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $92,483 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.5× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 60.6% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Des Moines
| People | Des Moines | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.0 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.4% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.1% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 26.0% | — |
| Work from home | 14.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 30.8 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.4% | 93.9% |
Weather in Des Moines
July highs average 77.4°F and January lows 37.7°F. About 39.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.3 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 25 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Des Moines since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on December 12, 1969 about 8.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 22, 1971.
Severe weather in King County since 1996
King County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4906: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| December 12, 2025 | Flood | EM-3629: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 28, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4775: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 10, 2022 | Fire | FM-5455: Bolt Creek Fire |
| April 23, 2020 | Flood | DR-4539: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in King County
King County had 1,449,785 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $132,279 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Des Moines itself the ACS puts it at 7.5%.
Public schools in Des Moines
10 public schools with 5,309 students, about 19.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Rainier High School | 9-12 | 1,889 | 24.5 |
| Pacific Middle School | 6-8 | 626 | 19.0 |
| Midway Elementary | PK-5 | 564 | 17.6 |
| North Hill Elementary | PK-5 | 514 | 17.7 |
| Des Moines Elementary | PK-5 | 507 | 18.1 |
| Parkside Elementary | PK-5 | 489 | 18.1 |
| Woodmont K-8 School | K-8 | 407 | 17.0 |
| Cascade Public Schools (charter) | 9-12 | 193 | 16.1 |
| Maritime High School | 9-12 | 120 | 15.0 |
| Gateway to College | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Des Moines
- Normandy Park, WA3.3 mi · 6,771 people · home $1,014,100
- SeaTac, WA3.9 mi · 31,454 people · home $519,700
- Lakeland North, WA3.9 mi · 13,663 people · home $557,000
- Kent, WA4.9 mi · 136,588 people · home $587,800
- Federal Way, WA5.4 mi · 101,030 people · home $552,800
- Burien, WA6.1 mi · 52,066 people · home $638,800
- Tukwila, WA6.4 mi · 21,798 people · home $489,000
- Vashon, WA6.6 mi · 11,055 people · home $790,700
Des Moines questions
Is Des Moines, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Des Moines scores better for retirees than 22% of Washington towns and quieter than 8%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.0).
How much does a house cost in Des Moines?
The median owner-occupied home in Des Moines is valued at $597,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $92,483, so homes cost about 6.5 times income. Median rent is $1,799 a month.
What is the weather like in Des Moines?
July highs average 77.4°F and January lows 37.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.3 inches of precipitation a year and 6.3 inches of snow.
Does Des Moines get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Des Moines since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on December 12, 1969. The typical Washington town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)