County profile · Iowa
Des Moines County, IA market data
How Des Moines County compares with other counties for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 38,077
- −2.0% since 2020
- Households
- 17,178
- Median household income
- $62,928
- +22.8% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $136,500
- Jobs located here
- 19,578
- Highest market score
- 63
- Physical therapy, #363 of 1,422 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Des Moines County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Des Moines County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
Des Moines County has an estimated 38,077 people and 17,178 households. Population estimates show Des Moines County declined 2.0% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. Median household income in Des Moines County is $62,928, 22% below the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 22.8%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in Des Moines County runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 111, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (57).
Of the business types scored in Des Moines County, physical therapy clinics (63), grocery stores (59) and grocery and convenience stores (56) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For physical therapy clinics, that ranks #363 of 1,422 scored counties.
Des Moines County is part of the Burlington area. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for pizza places (83% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate agents and brokers (45% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Des Moines County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Des Moines County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physical therapy | 63 | #363 of 1,422 | 7 | 4.1 | $3.2M | 131 | 4 |
| Grocery stores | 59 | #696 of 2,070 | 7 | 4.1 | $13.9M | 150 | 6 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 56 | #916 of 2,402 | 22 | 12.8 | $4.4M | 131 | 11 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 53 | #727 of 1,656 | 5 | 2.9 | $4.4M | 248 | 39 |
| Convenience stores | 52 | #1,044 of 2,261 | 11 | 6.4 | $8.8M | 112 | 5 |
| Tire shops | 51 | #750 of 1,530 | 7 | 4.1 | $2.6M | 104 | Under 3 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 48 | #995 of 1,886 | 16 | 9.3 | $1.4M | 141 | 14 |
| Funeral homes | 47 | #777 of 1,472 | 5 | 2.9 | $528K | 78 | Under 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | 45 | #843 of 1,451 | 6 | 3.5 | $3M | 121 | 6 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 43 | #907 of 1,493 | 6 | 3.5 | $3.2M | 110 | 16 |
| Barbershops | 42 | #888 of 1,356 | 7 | 4.1 | $2.2M | 116 | Under 3 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 42 | #1,316 of 2,063 | 17 | 9.9 | $3.5M | 94 | 7 |
| Home repair trades | 42 | #1,398 of 2,057 | 18 | 10.5 | $2.3M | 96 | 23 |
| Spas and skin care | 41 | #1,206 of 1,769 | 12 | 7.0 | $1.3M | 146 | 5 |
| Gyms | 39 | #1,257 of 1,792 | 11 | 6.4 | $1.1M | 87 | Under 3 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 39 | #1,280 of 1,771 | 10 | 5.8 | $1.9M | 115 | 28 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 39 | #1,519 of 2,222 | 22 | 12.8 | $2.7M | 89 | 32 |
| Auto repair and car care | 39 | #1,700 of 2,401 | 72 | 41.9 | $254K | 94 | 29 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 39 | #1,706 of 2,394 | 101 | 58.8 | $219K | 144 | 71 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 38 | #1,679 of 2,176 | 29 | 16.9 | Index only | 141 | 10 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 37 | #1,407 of 1,889 | 17 | 9.9 | $3.5M | 84 | 7 |
| Gas stations | 37 | #1,696 of 2,358 | 22 | 12.8 | $2.1M | 89 | 25 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 36 | #1,329 of 1,707 | 11 | 6.4 | $3.8M | 80 | 13 |
| Nail salons | 35 | #1,044 of 1,328 | 9 | 5.2 | $1.7M | 102 | Under 3 |
| Real estate | 34 | #1,909 of 2,229 | 36 | 21.0 | Index only | 143 | 21 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 33 | #1,073 of 1,334 | 7 | 4.1 | $1.8M | 89 | Under 3 |
| Child care and preschools | 33 | #1,278 of 1,611 | 11 | 6.4 | $520K | 52 | 6 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 32 | #1,724 of 2,088 | 22 | 12.8 | $569K | 86 | Under 3 |
| Auto repair shops | 32 | #1,939 of 2,378 | 49 | 28.5 | $373K | 84 | 23 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 32 | #1,966 of 2,405 | 102 | 59.4 | $583K | 88 | 29 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 30 | #2,034 of 2,405 | 199 | 115.8 | $299K | 81 | 68 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 28 | #1,899 of 2,210 | 46 | 26.8 | $664K | 75 | 13 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 27 | #1,155 of 1,327 | 9 | 5.2 | $2M | 66 | 7 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 27 | #2,196 of 2,385 | 84 | 48.9 | $183K | 86 | 16 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 26 | #1,813 of 2,087 | 35 | 20.4 | $873K | 69 | 13 |
| Pet businesses | 26 | #1,978 of 2,200 | 22 | 12.8 | $582K | 66 | 12 |
| Pizza | 25 | #1,913 of 2,090 | 25 | 14.6 | $2.4M | 47 | 32 |
| Chiropractors | 24 | #1,379 of 1,490 | 16 | 9.3 | $1.4M | 58 | 8 |
| Hair salons | 22 | #2,187 of 2,339 | 55 | 32.0 | $279K | 65 | 11 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 21 | #1,193 of 1,302 | 11 | 6.4 | $2M | 64 | 6 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 21 | #1,346 of 1,461 | 9 | 5.2 | $1.4M | 56 | 5 |
| Insurance agencies | 14 | #2,188 of 2,272 | 31 | 18.0 | $922K | 73 | 25 |
| Pet stores | 12 | #945 of 974 | 5 | 2.9 | $2.6M | 57 | 4 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.3 | Index only | 21 | 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.3 | $10.5M | 125 | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.3 | $3.1M | 77 | Under 3 |
| Electricians | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.7 | $14M | 117 | 10 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.7 | $6.4M | 100 | 7 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.7 | Index only | 134 | 3 |
| Veterinarians | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.7 | $4.3M | 157 | 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.2 | $15.3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | $30.6M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | $18.3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | $19.3M | Too few | 5 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in Des Moines County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $18.3M | $1,063 | 111 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $46.9M | $2,731 | 105 |
| Food away from home | $59.5M | $3,463 | 85 |
| Groceries | $97.3M | $5,667 | 90 |
| Personal care products and services | $15.4M | $894 | 89 |
| Child care and other personal services | $5.7M | $333 | 57 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $12.5M | $729 | 74 |
| Medical and dental services | $22.1M | $1,287 | 100 |
| Pets | $12.8M | $745 | 82 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $30.6M | $1,779 | 87 |
| Vehicle insurance | $28.6M | $1,663 | 85 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $42.1M | $2,452 | 81 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $19.3M | $1,121 | 79 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $222.6M | $12,956 | 78 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Des Moines County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 38,077−2.0% since 2020
- Households
- 17,178
- Median age
- 42.1
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 75%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 416 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 92
- Median household income
- $62,928+22.8% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $80,523
- Median home value
- $136,500
- Jobs located here
- 19,578
- Daytime population
- 39,488Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Des Moines County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Des Moines County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in Iowa 8
- Henry County, IA20,004 people
- Lee County, IA32,893 people
- Louisa County, IA10,678 people
- Van Buren County, IA7,241 people
- Muscatine County, IA42,559 people
- Jefferson County, IA15,705 people
- Washington County, IA22,561 people
- Scott County, IA174,608 people
Questions
How fast is Des Moines County, IA growing?
Population estimates put Des Moines County at 38,077 people in 2025, down 2.0% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 17,178 households. Median household income rose 22.8% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in Des Moines County, IA spend?
Households in Des Moines County spend about $222.6M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $97.3M on groceries and $59.5M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in Des Moines County spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 111, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (57).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Des Moines County, IA?
The highest Groundwork market scores in Des Moines County are for physical therapy clinics (63), grocery stores (59) and grocery and convenience stores (56). Des Moines County ranks #363 of 1,422 scored counties for physical therapy clinics.
How does Des Moines County, IA compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in Des Moines County is $62,928 a year, 22% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 2.0% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $136,500, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, Des Moines County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for pizza places (83% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate agents and brokers (45% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 43 of the 56 business types have a score in Des Moines County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Des Moines County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in Des Moines County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Des Moines County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.