Interesting Facts about Des Moines Iowa
As Iowa's capital city, Des Moines is a hub of government action,
business activity, arts and cultural affairs. With a City population
approaching 200,000 and a metro population of nearly 500,000, Des Moines
offers some of the nation's best schools, superb public services, and
friendly, caring neighborhoods. Affordable housing, one of the nation's
shortest average commute times, and an increasingly diverse population,
make Des Moines a wonderful place to live, work and visit
Area Quick Facts:
77.9 square miles
733.839 ft. above sea level
Average winter temperature: 21.3 degrees
Average summer temperature: 71.9 degrees
Average annual rainfall: 32.1 inches
Average annual snowfall: 31.6 inches
State sales tax: 6%
Downtown Quick Facts:
Block connected by skywalks: 28
Miles of skywalks: 2.8
Parking spaces: 30,000
Tallest building: 801 Grand at 44 stories
Next tallest building: Ruan Center at 35 stories
Getting to Work: Average commute time: 18 minutes
Housing: Average cost of single-family home: 94,200 - National average: 114,700 - Owner-occupied homes: 76%
Income and Employment: Median household income: $26,703 - Central Iowa per capita income: $21,724 - Unemployment: 2% - Resident labor force: 261,300
International Airport: Airlines: 13 - Departures and arrivals: 134,841 - Passengers: 1,807,990 - Tons of cargo: 123,254
Largest Employers: The Principal Financial Group: 9,628 employees - State of Iowa: 7,500 employees - Central Iowa Health System: 5,000 employees
Population: 2000 Census 198,682
DesMoines content reprinted with permission from
Statistics from Council of Governments as of 2000
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