Iowa · Census place 1983910
West Des Moines, Iowa
West Des Moines is a city in 4 counties of Iowa with an estimated 73,664 residents on July 1, 2024. It is the 7th largest of 273 incorporated places of 1,000+ people in the state.
- Population 2024
- 73,664
- #7 of 273 in Iowa
- Change since 2020
- +6.9%
- +4,744 people
- Land area
- 47.5 sq mi
- + 0.98 sq mi water
- Density
- 1,551 / sq mi
- State median 1,363
Measure from here
Tools and pages that start from West Des Moines
West Des Moines population, 2020 to 2024
West Des Moines added 4,744 residents from July 2020 to July 2024, a change of +6.9%. In the latest year it moved by +1,146. Among 85 Iowa places of 5,000 or more, that growth ranks 13th; the median place changed by +1.1%. The median place of 5,000+ in Iowa has 9,511 people, so West Des Moines is 7.7 times that size.
West Des Moines covers 47.49 square miles of land and 0.98 of water, for 1,551 people per square mile of land. The median Iowa place of 5,000+ has 1,363, so West Des Moines is denser than the typical town.
The 4 counties West Des Moines spans
West Des Moines crosses county lines. The Census county-part estimates split its 73,664 residents as follows; Polk County holds 66.1% of them. The shaded shapes are on the map above; dots mark the eight nearest places.
- 01Polk County48,701
- 02Dallas County24,723
- 03Warren County239
- 04Madison County1
ZIP codes in West Des Moines
2 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) overlap West Des Moines by at least 10% of the ZCTA's or the city's land: 50265, 50266. ZCTAs are Census approximations of USPS ZIP code delivery areas. The list comes from the 2020 ZCTA to place relationship file, so a city that annexed land after 2020 may reach into ZIP codes not listed here.
Where West Des Moines is
The Census internal point of West Des Moines is at 41.549900, -93.781400. Des Moines, the capital, is 9.6 miles ENE in a straight line. The nearest larger place is Des Moines, IA (213,096 people), 9.0 miles away.
Internal point
- Decimal
- 41.549900, -93.781400
- DMS
- 41°32'59.64"N 93°46'53.04"W
- UTM
- 15N 434832.0E 4600098.9N
- Geohash
- 9zmk3gymw
- Plus code
- 86H8G6X9+XC
Daylight in West Des Moines
At 41.55° N, West Des Moines gets about 15 h 11 min of daylight around the June solstice and 9 h 10 min around the December solstice, a swing of 6 h 02 min. Figures are sunrise to sunset from the SunCalc model for June 21 and December 21, 2026.
Places near West Des Moines
The eight nearest incorporated places of 1,000+ in Iowa, measured between internal points. The closest is Clive, 4.5 miles away, with 19,508 people.
Questions people ask
What is the population of West Des Moines, IA?
73,664 on July 1, 2024, in the Census Vintage 2024 estimates. That is up 4,744 (6.9%) from 68,920 in July 2020.
What county is West Des Moines in?
It spans 4 counties: Polk County (48,701 residents), Dallas County (24,723 residents), Warren County (239 residents), Madison County (1 residents).
What ZIP codes cover West Des Moines?
2 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas overlap it by at least 10% of either area: 50265, 50266.
How far is West Des Moines from Des Moines?
9.6 miles (15.4 km) in a straight line, heading ENE from West Des Moines.
What is the nearest larger city to West Des Moines?
Des Moines, IA, with 213,096 residents, 9.0 miles away between internal points.
Sources and data as of
Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 subcounty estimates (July 1, 2024), 2024 Gazetteer places, 2020 ZCTA to place relationship file.
- 01Census Vintage 2024 subcounty population estimates
- 02Census 2024 Gazetteer, places
- 03Census 2020 ZCTA to place relationship file
- 04Census 2024 cartographic boundary file, counties (1:5,000,000)
How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.