ZIP 50266
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Rent by unit size
Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in ZIP 50266 usually run 1.6% below trend in December and 1.5% above it in July, about $42 a month apart at today's median. Based on 8 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 50266 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in December 2017.
Rent in ZIP 50266 changed +2.3% over the year to September 2026. Across the 45 Iowa ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.3%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 50266 rose 22.1% while median household income rose 12.5% ($77,352 to $87,025). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in ZIP 50266 is 22.4% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($87,025) is $2,176 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($2,160); a 4-bedroom is $2,220.
ZIP 50322, 6 miles away, rents for 25% less ($1,030/mo), about $4,100 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 50266. 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.
Who lives here
ZIP 50266 (West Des Moines, IA) is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, 58.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 50266 in West Des Moines, IA has changed in 5 years
The median rent in ZIP 50266 in West Des Moines, IA stood at $1,132 in 2021 and currently runs about $1,368, reflecting a 20.8% increase over the period. Median household income rose from $79,463 to $87,025 between 2021 and 2024, a 9.5% shift. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 6.9% since 2021, moving from about 35,088 residents to roughly 37,523. Renters now make up 50.2% of households, compared with 47.4% five years ago. Taken together, the five-year picture in ZIP 50266 in West Des Moines, IA reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
Discussions about ZIP 50266
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Tips for renters in ZIP 50266
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 50266 covers West Des Moines, IA. The median rent here is $1,368/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,340/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,590/mo.
At 19% of local median household income ($87,025/yr), ZIP 50266 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 50266?
Is rent going up or down in ZIP 50266?
When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 50266?
Has rent outpaced income in ZIP 50266?
How does ZIP 50266 compare to other ZIPs in Iowa?
How does ZIP 50266 compare to the rest of West Des Moines?
At $1,368/mo, rent takes ~19% of ZIP 50266's median household income ($87,025/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Be the first to submit your rent for this ZIP.
No discussions yet.