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This page provides general facts and statistics about the Des Moines Metro Area.  Population statistics, tallest building information, and interesting facts about Des Moines are all found here.
  Population and Demographics

Population of the Des Moines MSA and CSA:

The Des Moines MSA (metropolitan statistical area) consists of five counties with a total population of 511,878.  When combined with the two additional counties that form the CSA (combined statistical area), the population increases to 582,362 (Census 2004 Estimates).  Within a 60-mile radius of Downtown Des Moines, over 728,000 people call the "Golden Circle" home.

MSA Counties 2000 Population
2004 Population Estimate
 2005 Population Estimate

2006 Population Estimate
Polk 375,886 393,184 401,755 408,888
Dallas 41,055 49,591 51,879 54,525
Warren 40,791 42,560 43,165 43,926
Madison 14,060 14,957 15,148 15,547
Guthrie 11,348 11,586 11,419 11,344
Total 483,140 511,878 523,366 534,230
         
CSA Counties 2000 Population 2004 Population Estimate 2005 Population Estimate 2006 Population Estimate
Jasper 37,250 37,718 37,538 37,409
Marion 32,115 32,766 32,738 32,987
Total 69,365 70,484 70,276 70,396
Total MSA & CSA Combined 552,505 582,362 593,642 604,599
         
Adjacent MSA Counties 2000 Population 2004 Population Estimate 2005 Population Estimate 2006 Population Estimate
Story 80,182 80,404 79,787 80,145
Boone 26,252 26,478 26,495 26,584
Total 106,434 106,882 106,282 106,729
         
Other Central Iowa Counties 2000 Population 2004 Population Estimate 2005 Population Estimate 2006 Population Estimate
Marshall 39,330 39,503 39,572 39,555
Total of all Central Iowa Counties Listed 698,271 728,747 739,496 750,883

Population of Metro Area Cities:

City *Immediate DSM Metro* 2000 Population 2004 Population Estimate 2005 Population Estimate  

Des Moines

 198,682 194,311 194,163

West Des Moines

 46,403 51,363 52,768

Urbandale

 29,072 33,379 34,696

Ankeny

 27,117 34,439 36,681

Clive

 12,855 13,598 13,851

Altoona

 10,345 12,107 12,938

Johnston

 8,670 11,770 12,931

Norwalk

 6,684 7,723 7,877

Waukee

 5,126 8,467 9,213

Pleasant Hill

 5,070 5,991 6,229

Grimes

 5,098 5,795 6,037

Windsor Heights

 4,805 4,636 4,607

Carlisle

 3,497 3,482 3,544

Polk City

 2,344 2,680 2,940

Bondurant

 1,846 1,991 2,203

Cumming

 162 206 252

Click here for a link to the populations of all incorporated cities within the Des Moines MSA

Estimated Downtown Des Moines Population (2006): 8,126 people

(boundaries comprised of I-235 to the north, the State Capitol to the east, Raccoon River to the south, and MLK Parkway to the west)

Courtesy of Des Moines Downtown Community Alliance
 
 

Tall Building Information

(Under Construction)

 

Rank Building Name Building Height Number of Occupied Floors Year Completed Status City/District

1

801 Grand Avenue

 630 ft. 44 1991 Completed Des Moines-Downtown

2

Ruan Center

 457 ft. 36 1974 Completed Des Moines-Downtown

3

Des Moines Marriott

 365 ft. 33 1981 Completed Des Moines-Downtown

4

Financial Center

 345 ft. 25 1973 Completed Des Moines-Downtown

5

Plaza Condominiums

 340 ft. 25 1985 Completed Des Moines-Downtown

6

HUB Tower

 325 ft. 25 1986 Completed Des Moines-Downtown

7

700 Walnut Street (EMC Insurance)

 325 ft. 19 1997 Completed Des Moines-Downtown

8

Equitable Building

 319 ft. 19 1924 Completed Des Moines-Downtown

9

Bank of America Building

 280 ft. 16 1966 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
10 Iowa State Capitol 274 ft. 8 1884 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
11 Qwest Building Addition 273 ft. 15 N/A Completed Des Moines-Downtown
12 Des Moines Register Building 243 ft. 14 1916 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
13 Des Moines Building 190 ft. 14 1930 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
14 Liberty Building 174 ft. 12 1923 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
15 Midland Building 172 ft. 12 1913 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
16 Qwest Building 170 ft. 11 1928 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
17 Fleming Building N/A 11 1907 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
18 Hotel Fort Des Moines 140 ft. 11 1917 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
19 Younker's Department Store 138 ft. 6 1899 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
20 Principal Corporate One 130 ft. 8 1940 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
21 Ligutti Tower N/A 21 1987 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
22 Elsie Mason Manor N/A 17 1981 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
23 Park Place Apartments N/A 16 1986 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
24 Ruan Center Two N/A 14 1982 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
25 Holiday Inn Downtown N/A 12 1971 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
26 Kirkwood Civic Center Hotel N/A 12 1979 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
27 Renaissance Savery Hotel N/A 11 1919 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
28 Hubbell Building N/A 10 1913 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
29 Scottish Rite Manor N/A 14 1976 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
30 Heather Manor N/A 12 1970 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
31 Des Moines University Tower N/A 10 1987 Completed Des Moines-Grand/Ingersoll
32 Plymouth Place N/A 12 1960 Completed Des Moines-Grand/Ingersoll
33 Federal Building N/A 10 N/A Completed Des Moines-Downtown
34 Insurance Exchange Building N/A 10 1923 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
35 Qwest Switching Tower N/A N/A N/A Completed Des Moines-Downtown
36 Mercy Medical Center N/A N/A N/A Completed Des Moines-Downtown
37 Polk County Jail N/A 8 N/A Completed Des Moines-Downtown
38 Polk County Courthouse 160 ft. 4 1906 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
39 Wells Fargo Tower N/A 12 1988 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
40 Downtown Riverfront YMCA N/A 8 1957 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
41 Principal Corporate 5 N/A 11 1986 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
42 Wells Fargo Financial South Annex N/A 9 2004 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
43 Wells Fargo Financial North Annex N/A 9 2006 Under Construction Des Moines-Downtown
44 Randolph Hotel N/A 8 1911 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
45 Quality Inn Hotel-Downtown N/A 7 1973 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
46 Embassy Suites-Riverfront N/A 8 1990 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
47 3000 Grand Avenue N/A 10 1971 Completed Des Moines-Grand/Ingersoll
48 3660 Grand Avenue N/A 10 1956 Completed Des Moines-Grand/Ingersoll
49 Wesley Acres Tower N/A 9 1988 Completed Des Moines-Grand/Ingersoll
50 3663 West Grand Towers N/A 11 1963 Completed Des Moines-Grand/Ingersoll
51 Barbican Condominiums N/A 10 1979 Completed Des Moines-Grand/Ingersoll
52 Fleur Park Condominiums N/A 10 N/A Completed Des Moines-Southwest
53 1101 Crocker Street N/A 9 N/A Completed Des Moines-North
54 Marriott West Des Moines N/A 8 2001 Completed West Des Moines
55 Sheraton Hotel West Des Moines N/A 10 1986 Completed West Des Moines
56 Valley West Tower N/A 9 1973 Completed West Des Moines
57 Hilton Garden Inn N/A 6 2004 Completed Urbandale
58 Capitol Square N/A 8 1985 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
59 Observatory Building N/A 12 N/A Demolished Des Moines-Downtown
60 Bankers Life Building N/A 12 N/A Demolished Des Moines-Downtown
61 Securities Building 100 ft. 7 1913 Demolished Des Moines-Downtown
62 Teachout Building N/A 6 1912 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
63 Methodist Medical Center N/A Completed Des Moines-Downtown
64 Iowa Lutheran Hospital N/A 6 1914 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
65 Crocker Block N/A 7 N/A Demolished Des Moines-Downtown
66 Youngerman Block N/A 7 N/A Demolished Des Moines-Downtown
67 Capitol City Bank Building N/A 7 N/A Demolished Des Moines-Downtown
68 Citizens National Bank Building N/A 7 N/A Demolished Des Moines-Downtown
69 Brown Hotel N/A 11 N/A Demolished Des Moines-Downtown
70 328 SW 5th Street N/A 7 1911 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
71 Mercy Capitol Hospital N/A 7 1916 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
72 Iowa-World Trade Center N/A 88 N/A Failed Des Moines-Downtown
73 White Line Lofts N/A 9 2006 Under Construction Des Moines-Downtown
74 Des Moines Life Insurance Building N/A 7 N/A Demolished Des Moines-Downtown
75 Old Post Office Building/US Court N/A 6 N/A Demolished Des Moines-Downtown
76 ING Financial Building N/A 6 2002 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
77 Rumley Building N/A 6 1910 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
78 Edna M. Griffin Buidling N/A 6 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
79

Partnership Building

N/A 9 Completed Des Moines-Downtown
80

Keck City Center

N/A Completed Des Moines-Downtown
81

Westgate Condominiums

N/A 10 Proposed Des Moines-Downtown
82

Davis/10th Street Tower

N/A 13 Proposed Des Moines-Downtown
83

16th and Locust Condo Tower

N/A 10 Proposed Des Moines-Downtown

 

 

*Future Updates will include a comprehensive database of most tall buildings in the Des Moines Metro*

Interesting Facts

  • Des Moines was founded in 1843 and incorporated as a city in 1851

  • The original name of Des Moines was Fort Raccoon, and was later changed to Fort Des Moines, then shortened to the current 'Des Moines'

  • The origin of the name Des Moines, is disputed.  Some historians think it came from the Moingonia Indian phrase meaning "river of the mounds."  Others place the origin of the name to trappist French Monks who once lived along the river

  • Des Moines was originally founded on the confluence of the banks of the Raccoon and Des Moines Rivers as a military outpost

  • Des Moines was chosen as the location as the capital of Iowa in 1857

  • Des Moines has been dubbed the 3rd largest insurance capital of the world, after London, England and Hartford, Connecticut

  • More than 65,000 workers are employed in downtown Des Moines, one of the highest rates per capita in all of the U.S.

  • Downtown Des Moines has the 2nd most miles of skywalk per capita in North America, after Calgary, Alberta Canada

  • The 14K gold plated dome on the Iowa State Capitol is the largest gold dome in North America

  • Today, Des Moines is the financial, governmental and business hub of Iowa

Links to Other Sites with Des Moines Statistics

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