> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://josetijam.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Des Moines, IA Housing Market: Prices, Inventory and Trends - URL: https://josetijam.com/des-moines-ia-housing-market/ - Published: 2026-10-13T06:07:08.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-13T19:55:05.000Z - Description: Des Moines home prices sit near $210,000 to $230,000 depending on the measure used. This guide explains what each figure means and where the numbers come from. - Author: Housing Ledger Editorial - Tags: Des Moines, Iowa housing, home prices, housing inventory, #gce-eb4495cc You can get a quick read on the Des Moines, IA housing market from two numbers: Redfin's median sale price and Zillow's average home value. Redfin describes the Des Moines housing market as somewhat competitive [\[1\]](https://www.redfin.com/city/5415/IA/Des-Moines/housing-market?ref=josetijam.com). You may also find this useful: [Alpharetta, GA Housing Market: Prices, Inventory and Trends](https://josetijam.com/alpharetta-ga-housing-market/). Zillow shows a different measure. That is an average of estimated home values, not the price of recent sales, so it will not match Redfin's number. Redfin and Zillow measure different things, so compare them carefully before you draw a conclusion. ## How much are homes selling for in Des Moines? Zillow's median sale price for Des Moines is $214,167, and its latest home value data is dated Aug 31, 2026 [\[2\]](https://www.zillow.com/home-values/17759/des-moines-ia/?ref=josetijam.com). That number gives you a realistic starting point for a price range, but it reflects one snapshot in time. ### What a median tells you A median is the middle sale in the set. Half of recent sales were higher and half were lower. That makes it a better guide to a typical price than an average, which a few expensive homes can pull upward. For example, suppose five homes sold for $180,000, $210,000, $214,000, $240,000 and $600,000. ### Redfin and Zillow figures Redfin reports its sale-price median over the last 3 months [\[1\]](https://www.redfin.com/city/5415/IA/Des-Moines/housing-market?ref=josetijam.com). Zillow's figure comes from its own data window, so the two numbers will not match even when they describe the same city. Put them side by side to see how recent sales and estimated home values can differ. A gap does not mean one source is wrong. Each measures something different, so read each number for what it covers. Use the median as an anchor for budgeting, not as a promise. The next sale may land above or below it, and a median tells you where the middle of the market sat, not what your own home will bring. For more detail, see [Sarasota, FL Housing Market: Prices, Inventory and Trends](https://josetijam.com/sarasota-fl-housing-market/). ![A young couple sits at a kitchen table reviewing closing papers with an agent, pen in hand, in soft window light.](https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?q=couple%20reviewing%20closing%20papers%20at%20kitchen%20table%20with%20agent&w=800&h=450&rs=1&c=4) ## How many homes are for sale and at what asking price? Realtor.com lists 1,443 homes for sale in Des Moines, with a median listing price of $232,000 [\[3\]](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-search/Des-Moines%5FIA?ref=josetijam.com). That gives you a starting point for the price range you will see in the city. ### What an asking price is A listing price is the amount the seller asks for, not the amount the home will sell for. The median listing price of $232,000 sits below that level [\[3\]](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-search/Des-Moines%5FIA?ref=josetijam.com). That means many homes in the middle of the market may fit, while homes near the top of your range need a closer look before you make an offer. ### Why the number of listings matters More listings usually means more choice. If you can compare a dozen homes in your price range instead of three, you can judge condition, location and price more easily. You also have more options if one deal falls through. Sellers list and withdraw homes all the time, so the number you see later may be higher or lower. Treat the figure as a picture of the market at that moment, not a fixed total. ![A green front yard with a for-sale sign planted near a two-story house with a covered porch on a sunny afternoon.](https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?q=for-sale%20sign%20in%20front%20yard%20of%20two-story%20house&w=800&h=450&rs=1&c=4) ## How does Polk County compare with the city? Data Central's Polk County report shows a median listing price of $324,950 and 1,943 active listings [\[4\]](https://datacentral.desmoinesregister.com/real-estate-market-report/?ref=josetijam.com). That is a county figure, so it is not a direct price for homes inside Des Moines city limits. Polk County covers more than the city. The county takes in Des Moines and the communities around it, so its median blends homes from all of those places. A county median can sit above or below what you would find for homes within the city alone. ### Use county data for the wider picture Use the county numbers when you want the regional view. If you are weighing several suburbs against the city, the county count gives you the broader set to compare. ### Use city data for city-limits questions Use city figures when your question is about homes inside Des Moines. Say you are comparing a listing on the city's east side with one in a suburb. The county median cannot tell you which is cheaper, because it describes neither street. Label every figure as county or city when you record it. Mixing the two in one budget, or in a comparison with another city, produces a number that matches neither place. Pick the figure that matches the area where you plan to buy before you set your budget. ## Are prices rising or falling over time? The FHFA all-transactions index for Des Moines-West Des Moines reads 303.72 for Q2 2026, with 1995 Q1 set to 100 [\[5\]](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/ATNHPIUS19780Q?ref=josetijam.com). That is the simplest way to see the long-term price trend for the metro area over roughly three decades. An index shows change over time, not a dollar price. A reading of 303.72 means prices are about three times their 1995 level [\[5\]](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/ATNHPIUS19780Q?ref=josetijam.com). Treat that as a rough guide to the trend, not a value for any one house. ### Comparing quarters the right way The series is quarterly and not seasonally adjusted [\[5\]](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/ATNHPIUS19780Q?ref=josetijam.com), so you should compare the same quarter across years. Without seasonal adjustment, a move from one quarter to the next can reflect the time of year rather than a real shift in prices. ### What the index can and cannot tell you The index answers whether prices have risen over the long run. It does not show which neighborhoods gained the most, and it does not tell you what a particular listing will cost. If you are planning a purchase, use the index to understand the general direction, then check current sale and listing figures for the specific price range you are considering. It does not predict where prices will go next year. ## When do the monthly housing numbers update? The Des Moines Area Association of REALTORS releases its monthly housing statistics usually in the second week of each month. [\[6\]](https://www.dmaar.com/news/housing-stats?ref=josetijam.com) That timing tells you when a new set of figures is likely to appear, so plan to look for it in the middle of the month rather than on the first day. ### Check the release date before comparing months Before you put two months side by side, note which release each number came from. A figure taken before the second-week release and one taken after it may describe different periods. The gap can then reflect timing rather than a real change in the market. Keep the release month beside each figure in your notes. Then a comparison never mixes a new number with an old one. For example, if you record "March release" next to a price, you can see at a glance whether it lines up with the April figure you are setting it against. ### Match the measure, not just the label Each source uses its own definitions, so two reports can use the same term in different ways. A price figure in one report may not be built the same way as one in another. Two numbers can both be accurate and still be hard to compare. Consider a figure based on closed sales and one based on active listings. They answer different questions, even when they carry similar labels. Pick one source and one measure for your comparison, then use that same pairing each month. That way, any change you see reflects the market rather than a switch in how the figure is calculated. ## What should you do with these numbers? Use the median sale price of roughly $214,000 to $226,000 as your starting point for budgeting, not a fixed price. The low end comes from Zillow and the high end from Redfin, so treat the range as a planning zone rather than a quote. [\[1\]](https://www.redfin.com/city/5415/IA/Des-Moines/housing-market?ref=josetijam.com)[\[2\]](https://www.zillow.com/home-values/17759/des-moines-ia/?ref=josetijam.com) The Des Moines Area Association of REALTORS usually releases its monthly statistics in the second week of each month. [\[6\]](https://www.dmaar.com/news/housing-stats?ref=josetijam.com) Pull the newest report before you update your figures. When you compare Des Moines with another city, use the same source and measure for both. Mixing a sale median with a listing median can make one market look cheaper than it is. ## Sources 1. [Des Moines, IA housing market](https://www.redfin.com/city/5415/IA/Des-Moines/housing-market?ref=josetijam.com) 2. [Des Moines, IA Housing Market: 2026 Home Prices & Trends](https://www.zillow.com/home-values/17759/des-moines-ia/?ref=josetijam.com) 3. [Des Moines, IA Homes for Sale & Real Estate](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-search/Des-Moines%5FIA?ref=josetijam.com) 4. [Polk County, Iowa Real Estate Market Report - Data Central](https://datacentral.desmoinesregister.com/real-estate-market-report/?ref=josetijam.com) 5. [All-Transactions House Price Index for Des Moines-West Des ...](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/ATNHPIUS19780Q?ref=josetijam.com) 6. [Des Moines Metro Real Estate Statistics](https://www.dmaar.com/news/housing-stats?ref=josetijam.com)