ZIP Code · IA

ZIP 50321

Part of Des Moines, IA

Pop. 7,900·Polk County·38th most expensive ZIP in Iowa

Median rent (all units)

$1,057/mo

Year-over-Year

Stable

Month-over-Month

Stable

vs US Median

-$875

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 50321 · $1,057

More affordable than 97% 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

$788

1 BR

$825

2 BR

$980

3 BR

$1,333

4 BR+

$1,370

Research median

$980/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

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($80,351) is $2,009 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($1,860).

Rank in Des Moines

3rd cheapest of 8 ZIP codes in Des Moines.

Cheaper nearby

ZIP 50311, 5 miles away, rents for 11% less ($942/mo), about $1,400 a year in savings.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 50321. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$12,684/yr

At $1,057/mo median

Location

CityDes Moines

StateIA

CountyPolk County

Rent Market Meter

Balanced Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are roughly steady, with neither renters nor landlords holding a strong edge right now.

Based on rent-price momentum (+0.0% YoY, -0.1% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 50321 (Des Moines, IA) is majority owner-occupied, 42.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

7,900

Median income

$80,351

Median age

36.8

Renters

40.2%

Age distribution

22.5%

22.9%

22.8%

16.9%

14.9%

Under 1822.5%

18–3422.9%

35–5422.8%

55–6416.9%

65+14.9%

Gender

46%

54%

Male46%

Female54%

Race & ethnicity

76.2%

12.7%

White76.2%

Black10.8%

Hispanic12.7%

Asian1.2%

Education (25+)

23%

28%

42.4%

No HS diploma6.6%

HS diploma23%

Some college28%

Bachelor's+42.4%

Housing tenure

59.8%

40.2%

Owner59.8%

Renter40.2%

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

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 50321 in Des Moines, IA has changed in 5 years

Income

$64,487 → $80,351

up 24.6%

Population

8,561 → 7,900

down 7.7%

Renter share

41.5% → 40.2%

-1.3 pts

Bachelor's+

35.4% → 42.4%

+7.0 pts

Median age

32.6 → 36.8

+4.2 yrs

On the earnings side, the typical household in ZIP 50321 in Des Moines, IA now reports about $80,351, up from $64,487 in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 8,561 to 7,900 between 2021 and 2024, a 7.7% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 35.4% to 42.4%.

Community

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Local insights

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About renting in ZIP 50321

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 50321 covers Des Moines, IA. The median rent here is $1,057/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $825/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $980/mo.

At 16% of local median household income ($80,351/yr), ZIP 50321 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rent prices have stayed steady over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 50321?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $42,000/year (about $20/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,057/mo in ZIP 50321. The local median household income is $80,351/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.