Southwest, Des Moines, IA50313

Real Estate Data & Market Trends

Key Metrics at a Glance

Median Home Value
$183,000
1.6% YoY Growth
Median Household Income
$64,100
20.7% 5-Year Growth
Days on Market
55
1.0% Shorter than last year
Home Price Forecast
0.1%
Median Rent
$1,100
9.6% YoY Growth
1-Bed Rent
$795
5.5% YoY Growth
2-Bed Rent
$1,140
5.2% YoY Growth
3-Bed Rent
$1,500
3.9% YoY Growth

Property Listings — Southwest, Des Moines, IA

As of Oct '25, Realtor.com reports that the median days on market for a home in Southwest, Des Moines, IA is 55. This is a decrease of -1.0% from last year, suggesting that homes are sitting on the market about the same amount of time than last year. The percentage of listed homes with a reduced price is 49.0%, representing a large inventory and a lot of supply pressure on home prices.

MetricZip Code AverageYear over Year % Change
Median Listing Price
$194,000-14.0%
Listing Count
10716.0%
Listings as % of Homes0.5%16.0%
Days on Market
55-1.0%
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Demographics — Southwest, Des Moines, IA

As of the latest ACS Survey released in 2023, Southwest, Des Moines, IA has a population of 18,300, which has decreased by -4.2% over the past 5 years. Southwest, Des Moines, IA is a moderately popular place for families, as children make up 21.9% of the population. The area has a poorly educated workforce, with 16.2% of adult residents holding a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are few residents working remotely, with 7.4% reporting working from home.

MetricLatest CensusYoY % Change
Population
18,300-4.2%
% Under 18
21.9%-13.4%
% Seniors
13.7%26.9%
% WFH
7.4%393.3%
% w/ College Degree
16.2%22.7%
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As of the latest ACS Survey released in 2023, Southwest, Des Moines, IA is a predominantly white area, with 61.1% of the population identifying as white. The white population has shrunk by 14.4% in the last 5 years. The second most common race or ethnicity in Southwest, Des Moines, IA is hispanic, making up 16.9% of the population. Foreign-born residents account for 16.1% of the population in Southwest, Des Moines, IA, and this percentage has increased by 46.4% as of the ACS Survey 5 years prior, suggesting more immigrants are calling the area home.

Race and Ethnicity

MetricLatest Census5-Year % Change
% White
61.1%-14.4%
% Black
10.9%19.8%
% Hispanic
16.9%17.4%
% Asian
6.3%133.3%
% Foreign Born
16.1%46.4%
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Mortgage and Risk — Southwest, Des Moines, IA

According to HUD data as of 2023, there were 441 mortgage originations in Southwest, Des Moines, IA, of which 80.0% of loans were conventional mortgages. The average loan-to-value was 63.0%, with 32.0% above 90% LTV (very high). This implies large mortgage risk in Southwest, Des Moines, IA. Investor activity is low, as 8.0% of loans were by investors. 8.0% of loans were cash-out refinances, suggesting few homeowners are tapping equity.

Mortgages

MetricZip Code Average
Total Loan Originations
441
% Conventional Loans
80.0%
% Government Loans
20.0%
% Investor Loans
8.0%
% Second Loans
1.0%
% Cash Out Refinance
8.0%

Loan Activity

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Rentals and Section 8 — Southwest, Des Moines, IA

As of 2024, the percent of homes in Southwest, Des Moines, IA under the Section 8 program is 5.0%. This is considered low, suggesting that the neighborhood is sparsely composed of Section 8 homes. Section 8 opportunity is good when HUD pays more than market rent. 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom units appear to be good home sizes to consider for Section 8 housing in Southwest, Des Moines, IA, because HUD payments exceed market rent, while 4-bedroom units do not.

Section 8 Market Size

Total Units under HUD
175
Total Units Section 8
85
% Rentals under Section 8
5.0%
% Occupied Section 8
80.0%

Section 8 Opportunity

Home SizeHUD PremiumMarket RentMax HUD Rent
1 Bedroom$225$795$1,020
2 Bedroom$80$1,140$1,220
3 Bedroom$140$1,500$1,640
4 Bedroom$0$1,640$1,640

Affordability — Southwest, Des Moines, IA

Home Price to Income Ratio

MetricZip Code Average
Home Price to Income Ratio2.5
Median Home Price$183,000
Median Household Income$64,100

Southwest, Des Moines, IA — ZIP Code Boundary Map

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Frequently Asked Questions