City comparison
Des Moines, IA is about 10 miles (10 km) from West Des Moines, IA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 10 miles, or about 11 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Des Moines, IA to West Des Moines, IA takes about 1 min, covering roughly 10 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Des Moines has a population of 213,164, vs 68,744 in West Des Moines — about 3.1× larger by population. By land area, Des Moines covers about 88 sq mi vs 47 sq mi for West Des Moines.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Des Moines | West Des Moines | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $995/mo | $1,153/mo | 15.9% higher in West Des Moines |
| Median home value | $170,700 | $266,700 | 56.2% higher in West Des Moines |
| Median household income | $62,378 | $82,345 | 32.0% higher in West Des Moines |
| Groceries index | 94.0 | 94.0 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 85.2 | 85.2 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 93.3 | 93.3 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 93.5 | 93.5 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Des Moines, you'd need $100,540 in West Des Moines to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Des Moines and West Des Moines have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Des Moines, you'd need about $80,432 in West Des Moines to keep the same standard of living.