NAICS 53

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

Metro Market Score 55.5 (Challenging), ranked #252 of 330 metros. 1,247 establishments, 5,667 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 55.5
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national real estate and rental and leasing average.

💰High-Cost Market

Des Moines-West Des Moines scores 55.5 on the Metro Market Score for real estate and rental and leasing, placing it in the bottom quartile. High wage costs, strong existing competition, or slowing growth contribute to tougher entry conditions compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration
65.8
LQ: 0.90
Rank #217 of 330 metros
Wage Competitiveness
86.7
$71,097 avg wage
Growth Trend
52.1
Employment growth index
Rank #159 of 330 metros
Wage Pressure
15.3
YoY wage change index

1,247 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing Firms in Des Moines-West Des Moines

1,247
Establishments
+4.1% YoY
5,667
Total Employment
+0.9% YoY
$71,097
Average Annual Wage
+2.3% YoY
0.90
Location Quotient
Below national avg

Des Moines-West Des Moines vs Iowa Statewide

How this metro's real estate and rental and leasing market compares to Iowa overall. The state ranks #16/51 for entry risk.

Measure Des Moines-West Des Moines IA Statewide
Overall Score 55.5 Challenging 35.6 Moderate
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #252 of 330 metros #16 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 Other Services 53.0 Finance and Insurance 60.0

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing in Other Iowa Metros

Cedar Rapids 26.2 #49/330 Sioux City 29.5 #63/330 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island 33.0 #85/330 Iowa City 40.0 #136/330 Dubuque 41.3 #154/330 Ames 43.1 #170/330

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 real estate and rental and leasing sector, the wage competitiveness component (86.7) 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

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.