NAICS 81

Other Services in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

Metro Market Score 53.0 (Challenging), ranked #192 of 332 metros. 2,010 establishments, 11,752 jobs.

Metro Market Score 53.0

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national other services average.

💰High-Cost Market📈Rapid Growth

Des Moines-West Des Moines pairs above-average other services concentration (52.1) with positive employment growth (trend: 79.2). The market is competitive but still expanding, leaving room for well-positioned new entrants.

Industry Concentration

52.1

LQ: 0.97

Rank #173 of 332 metros

Wage Competitiveness

94.9

$57,260 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 79.2

Employment growth index

Rank #70 of 332 metros

Wage Pressure

50.2

YoY wage change index

2,010 Other Services Firms in Des Moines-West Des Moines

2,010

Establishments

+4.6% YoY

11,752

Total Employment

+4.3% YoY

$57,260

Average Annual Wage

+3.3% YoY

0.97

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Iowa

#6 of 8

other services metros in state

Iowa state rank

#3 of 51

for other services entry risk

vs State Median

+2.5

worse than median (50.5)

Des Moines-West Des Moines vs Iowa Statewide

How this metro's other services market compares to Iowa overall. The state ranks #3/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Des Moines-West Des Moines	IA Statewide
Overall Score	53.0 Challenging	32.5 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#192 of 332 metros	#3 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Des Moines-West Des Moines

Accommodation and Food Services 33.8 Retail Trade 34.7 Information 51.6 Construction 52.9 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 55.5 Finance and Insurance 60.0

Other Services in Other Iowa Metros

Ames 31.0 #31/332 Iowa City 32.9 #40/332 Dubuque 36.9 #60/332 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island 49.8 #158/332 Sioux City 50.5 #163/332 Cedar Rapids 57.9 #230/332 Waterloo-Cedar Falls 67.9 #300/332

Other Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Des Moines-West Des Moines's 53.0 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Longview, TX 53.0 #191/332 Syracuse, NY 53.0 #190/332 Grand Junction, CO 52.9 #189/332 Lancaster, PA 52.9 #188/332 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI 52.8 #186/332 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA 52.8 #187/332 Williamsport, PA 53.3 #193/332 Lexington-Fayette, KY 53.3 #194/332 Flagstaff, AZ 53.3 #195/332 Elkhart-Goshen, IN 52.7 #185/332

Other Services in States Bordering Iowa

State-level entry risk for other services in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

South Dakota 28.9 #1/51 Nebraska 30.5 #2/51 Minnesota 38.1 #12/51 Wisconsin 39.3 #16/51 Missouri 47.4 #33/51 Illinois 50.5 #39/51

Browse Other Services in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for other services across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Des Moines-West Des Moines's other services sector, the wage competitiveness component (94.9) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment