Commercial Real Estate Market in Des Moines, IA
Updated monthly: sale, lease, property records, location trend, and more… · Last update: August 31
609 active listings and 5,940 off-market properties in Des Moines, IA. Commercial property asks $30/SF to buy and $13.96/SF/Yr to lease. Office vacancy runs 16.8%, the loosest of the segments tracked here.
Market Trends
Des Moines, IA spans 149.6 square miles in Polk County, Iowa. Figures below refresh monthly; last updated 31 August 2026.
Office
Office vacancy in Des Moines, IA runs 16.8% in 2025, up from 15.9% in 2023.
Vacancy Rate %
Retail
Retail vacancy in Des Moines, IA runs 5.9% in 2025, up from 5% in 2019. Down from a 2020 peak of 8.4%.
Vacancy Rate %
Multifamily
Multifamily space in Des Moines, IA asks $142/SF to buy. Vacancy runs 8% across the Midwest region in 2025, up from 6.5% in 2022.
Average Sale Price $/SF
Listings
Vacancy Rate % in Midwest region
Market overview
Demographics & Economy
Des Moines, IA has 305,837 residents in 134,540 households. Density runs 2,044 people per square mile. Median household income here is $79,649 and median gross rent $1,095 a month.
305,837
Population
134,540
Households
2.3
Avg Household Size
36
Median Age
34%
College-Educated
89%
High-School Grad
149.6 sq mi
ZIP Area
2,044
Density / Sq Mi
$79,649
Median Household Income
$45,908
Median Earnings
$1,095
Median Rent
$232,258
Median Home Value
Tools
Nearby Markets
| Market | Average Sale Price, $/SF | Average Lease Price, $/SF/Yr |
|---|---|---|
| Highland Park | — | — |
| Beaverdale | — | — |
| Norwoodville | — | — |
| Pleasant Hill | — | — |
Commercial property in Des Moines, IA asks $30/SF.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average price per square foot for commercial property in Des Moines?
Commercial property in Des Moines, IA asks an average of $30 per square foot. The 7 most recent recorded sales traded at a median of $156/SF. Multifamily carries the highest asking price at $142/SF.
How much does it cost to lease commercial space in Des Moines?
Asking lease rates in Des Moines, IA average $13.96 per square foot per year.
What is the office vacancy rate in Des Moines?
Office vacancy in Des Moines, IA is 16.8% as of 2025, up from 15.9% in 2023. Retail vacancy is 5.9%, below Office vacancy.
Which property type has the lowest vacancy in Des Moines?
Retail has the lowest vacancy in Des Moines, IA at 5.9%, inside a 5–8.4% band since 2019. For comparison: office 16.8% and multifamily 8% (Midwest).
Where does Realmo's Des Moines market data come from?
Realmo compiles Des Moines, IA figures from 7 recent recorded sales, 413 active sale listings, 196 active lease listings, 5,940 tracked off-market properties. Sale and lease figures refresh monthly; vacancy annually. Last updated 31 August 2026.
Methodology & data sources
- Asking prices and averages
- Computed from 413 active for-sale and 196 active for-lease listings in Des Moines, IA. These are ASKING figures from live listings, not closed-transaction prices, and a segment carried by a handful of listings reads as indicative rather than an average.
- Vacancy rates
- Published per-sector market series, taken at the metro level where one exists and otherwise at the Census-region level — a chart reading "in <region> region" is a regional number, not this city's.
- Refresh
- The monthly aggregates close at the end of the previous month, so 31 August 2026 — not today — is the honest last update.
- Known limitations
- multifamily vacancy is reported at Midwest region level.
- Coverage
- Metrics below the 10-observation threshold fall back one geographic level. The geography used is named on each figure.
Compiled by the Realmo Data team · reviewed 31 August 2026 · report a data issue
