50313 and 50317 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
50313
50317
Opportunity
66 · Top 28%
vs64 · Top 32%
Growth
51 · Top 48%
vs51 · Top 48%
Climate
59 · Bottom 10%
vs59 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 11%
vs89 · Top 11%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 15%
vs95 · Top 20%
Schools
14 · Bottom 4%
vs27 · Bottom 19%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
53 · Bottom 39%
vs60 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | 50313 | 50317 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,440 | 36,548 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,361 | $65,617 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,386 | $30,592 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 966/sq mi | 1,653/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $175,100 | $177,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,085 | $1,102 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.9% | 72.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.0% | 15.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.4% | 14.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 860 | 860 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.0 | 4.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -37.1% | -37.1% | 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 | 9 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.9 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.5 | 37.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.34 | 13.50 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 42.6% | 46.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 41.5% | 44.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 68.8% | 78.8% | 2024-25 school 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
50313
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
50317
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: 50313 — Des Moines, IA · 50317 — Des Moines, IA · How this is calculated: methodology