Low Income Apartments and Affordable Housing For Rent in Des Moines County, IA

Discover affordable housing in Des Moines County where there are 15+ housing opportunities based on income and household needs like accessible units for seniors or persons with disabilities. Find and apply to these low income apartments now.

The Hourly Wage Needed to Afford A Safe, Modest 2 Bed Apartment In Des Moines County, Iowa
$19.49/hour
$12.24 (+169%) more than Iowa minimum wage and $12.24 (+169%) more than the Federal minimum wage.
Learn More About Des Moines County, Iowa Affordable Housing ↓

How many renters live in Des Moines County, Iowa?

The County of Des Moines County has 38,824 people living in 17,251 households.

There are 10,001 renters living in 5,184 renter households in this County. Renters make up 25.76 percent of the population living in Des Moines County.

What is the rental market like in Des Moines County, Iowa?

There are an estimated 18,791 housing units in the Des Moines County area. Of these, 5,391 units are rental homes, making up 29 percent of the housing market. For every renter household in Des Moines County, Iowa, there are 1 rental units.

What is the vacancy rate for rentals in Des Moines County?

The rental vacancy rate in Des Moines County is 4 percent. This is a lower than average vacancy rate. When rental vacancy rates are low there are fewer available units. Rents tend to be higher as more people compete for scarce housing.

How many rental units are in Des Moines County for each bedroom size?

Occupied Rental Units by Size in Des Moines County
Studio One-Bedroom Two-Bedroom Three-Bedroom Four+ Bedrooms
288 1,251 2,213 1,121 176
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Des Moines County

A large number of apartments in Des Moines County have two or fewer bedrooms. Seniors and young professionals especially may have more success finding an apartment that meets their needs.

How many renter households in Des Moines County are overburdened by housing costs?

Among renter households in this market, 54 percent have housing cost burden. Further, 34 percent of households are extremely rent overburdened. When renters pay too much for their housing, it leaves little money for other necessities like food, clothes, or medicine.

The federal government says that renters are cost-burdened if they pay more than a third of their monthly income for rent and utilities.

How Much Is Rent in Des Moines County

Depending on size, the Fair Market Rent - HUDs measurement of the cost of an average housing unit - ranges from $697 to $1,370. FMRs are updated annually by HUD for every city and county nationwide.

Bed Size 2024 Fair Market Rents
Studio $697
One BR $783
Two BR $1,029
Three BR $1,267
Four BR $1,370
2024 Fair Market Rents in Des Moines County, Iowa

How many units are rented at Fair Market Rent (FMR) in Des Moines County?

Renters with a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher must select a home that is at or below the area’s Fair Market Rent. Markets with a large share of units above FMR tend to have longer search times to find a qualified unit, while those with a large share of units below FMR tend to have more choices and shorter search times. The share below FMR can vary by size of unit, as shown in the table below.

These are the approximate number of units renting below the FMR in this market:

Unit Size Count of Units Below FMR Percentage of Total Units Below FMR
Studio 198 69 percent
One BR 963 77 percent
Two BR 1,327 60 percent
Rental Units Below FMR in Des Moines County, Iowa

How many affordable rental units are in Des Moines County?

There are a variety of federal affordable housing programs serving households in Des Moines County, Iowa including the following:

Federal Program Unit Count
Low Income Housing Tax Credit 375
Public Housing 194
Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance 405
Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly 69
USDA Section 515 Rural Rental Housing 40
Tracked Units by Federal Program in Des Moines County, Iowa

Rental units may be funded in part by multiple federal programs.

Income Based Apartments in Des Moines County, Iowa

Des Moines County features 716 income based apartments. Tenants of income based apartments typically pay no more than 30% of their income towards rent and utilities.

Low Rent Apartments in Des Moines County, Iowa

There are 190 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in Des Moines County.

Housing Choice Vouchers in Des Moines County, Iowa

On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay Des Moines County landlords $400 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $400 towards rent in Des Moines County.

The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in Des Moines County, Iowa for a two-bedroom apartment is between $926 and $1,132.

Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.