Apartments for Rent in Des Moines, IA

Prices and availability in Des Moines, IA were last updated on 2 Oct 2026.

The best apartments in Des Moines, IA are: The Equitable Building, Sunburst Apts, Confluence on 3rd Apartments, Elmcrest and LINC at Gray's Station.

The average rent in Des Moines, IA is $1,073.

The price range for a studio apartment in Des Moines, IA is between $625 and $2,557.

The price range for a 1-bedroom apartment in Des Moines, IA is between $642 and $2,249.

The price range for a 2-bedroom apartment in Des Moines, IA is between $650 and $3,200.

The price range for a 3-bedroom apartment in Des Moines, IA is between $650 and $3,357.

In Des Moines 40% of the housing is rented out compared to 60% of homes are owned, according to the most recent Census Bureau estimates. 18% of Des Moines's apartments are found in large buildings of 50 units or more, 57% are located in smaller apartment complexes with less than 50 units, and 23% are single-family rentals.

The age and size of multifamily buildings are among the most visible characteristics of the rental market in a city. In this case, the apartment buildings in Des Moines are about 32 years old, on average. Of these, 44% have been built since 2000, representing the newer options on the market and typically offering more amenities. Rental buildings in the city have an average height of 5 stories. About 84% of the rental communities here are low-rise, garden-style communities, 13% are mid-rises, and 8% are high-rise buildings. These are true especially for large-scale multifamily buildings with over 50 apartments.

Rental apartments in Des Moines come in a range of sizes and floorplans. Studio apartments represent 9% of units for rent, ideal for singles, renters on a budget and people who value central locations more than space. Rentals with 1-bedroom floorplans make up 42% of the total apartments in the city, while 2-bedroom floorplans represent around 44% of all rentals in Des Moines. The rest are larger floorplans with 3 bedrooms or more, typically preferred by families, larger households or roommates sharing space.