50261 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
50261
50061
Opportunity
88 · Top 2%
vs87 · Top 2%
Growth
63 · Top 28%
vs63 · Top 28%
Climate
59 · Bottom 10%
vs59 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 43%
vs68 · Top 38%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs88 · Top 37%
Access
88 · Bottom 34%
vs90 · Bottom 41%
Economic stability
93 · Top 1%
vs80 · Top 11%
Measured values
| Metric | 50261 | 50061 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,399 | 2,123 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $155,278 | $130,714 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $57,159 | $64,331 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 52/sq mi | 69/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $374,100 | $533,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,069 | $1,163 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 85.9% | 96.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% | 2.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.5% | 42.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 1.8% | 4.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 349 | 349 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -4.1% | -4.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.5" | 36.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 28.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.3 | 50.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
50261
Elevated or high exposure: drought, strong wind, tornado.
50061
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, heat wave.
Full profiles: 50261 — West Des Moines, IA · 50061 — West Des Moines, IA · How this is calculated: methodology