ZIP Code · IA

ZIP 50265

Part of West Des Moines, IA

Pop. 33,488·Polk County·20th most expensive ZIP in Iowa

Median rent (all units)

$1,310/mo

Year-over-Year

+3.9%

Month-over-Month

+0.8%

vs US Median

-$622

Reported rents

Rising (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 50265 · $1,310

More affordable than 86% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,020

1 BR

$1,070

2 BR

$1,270

3 BR

$1,730

4 BR+

$1,770

Research median

$1,270/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

February. Asking rents in ZIP 50265 usually run 1.4% below trend in February and 2% above it in August, about $45 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 50265 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in March 2021.

Past year vs. the rest of Iowa

Rent in ZIP 50265 changed +3.9% over the year to September 2026. Across the 45 Iowa ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.3%.

Recent direction

Rent has risen 6 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($85,915) is $2,148 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($1,770).

Cheaper nearby

ZIP 50312, 4 miles away, rents for 13% less ($1,144/mo), about $2,000 a year in savings.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 50265. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$15,720/yr

At $1,310/mo median

Location

CityWest Des Moines

StateIA

CountyPolk County

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (3.9% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+3.9% YoY, +0.8% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 50265 (West Des Moines, IA) is majority owner-occupied, 51.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

33,488

Median income

$85,915

Median age

37.4

Renters

33.6%

Age distribution

22%

24.5%

24%

12.5%

16.9%

Under 1822%

18–3424.5%

35–5424%

55–6412.5%

65+16.9%

Gender

48.5%

51.5%

Male48.5%

Female51.5%

Race & ethnicity

78.3%

White78.3%

Black4.8%

Hispanic8.2%

Asian5.3%

Other3.4%

Education (25+)

17.6%

26.8%

51.5%

No HS diploma4.1%

HS diploma17.6%

Some college26.8%

Bachelor's+51.5%

Housing tenure

66.4%

33.6%

Owner66.4%

Renter33.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 50265 in West Des Moines, IA has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,001 → $1,310

up 30.9%

Income

$73,935 → $85,915

up 16.2%

Population

32,540 → 33,488

up 2.9%

Renter share

34.8% → 33.6%

-1.2 pts

Bachelor's+

48.7% → 51.5%

+2.8 pts

Median age

38.8 → 37.4

-1.4 yrs

Compared with 2021, rent in ZIP 50265 in West Des Moines, IA has climbed by $309 per month, settling near $1,310 after starting the period at $1,001. Household income in the area moved from $73,935 to $85,915 across the same window, up 16.2% versus 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 14.7 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 32,540 to 33,488 between 2021 and 2024, a 2.9% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 48.7% to 51.5%. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in ZIP 50265 in West Des Moines, IA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.

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About renting in ZIP 50265

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 50265 covers West Des Moines, IA. The median rent here is $1,310/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,070/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,270/mo.

At 18% of local median household income ($85,915/yr), ZIP 50265 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.9% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 50265?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $52,000/year (about $25/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,310/mo in ZIP 50265. The local median household income is $85,915/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 50265?

Rent in ZIP 50265 has risen 3.9% over the past year as of September 2026. That is the highest level since Zillow's records here began in March 2021.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 50265?

Asking rents in ZIP 50265 are usually lowest in February, about 1.4% below their yearly trend, and highest in August, about 2% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $45 a month. This pattern comes from 5 years of Zillow rent data.

How does ZIP 50265 compare to other ZIPs in Iowa?

ZIP 50265 is in the middle among Iowa ZIP codes for rent, ranking #20 of 54 at $1,310/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 50265 changed +3.9%, against a typical +4.3% across the 45 Iowa ZIP codes Zillow tracks.