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Des Moines, Iowa
| Des Moines, Iowa | |
 | |
| General information | |
Mayor of Des Moines
Connie Boesen | |
| Last mayoral election: | 2023 |
| Next mayoral election: | 2027 |
| Last city council election: | 2023 |
| Next city council election: | 2025 |
| City council seats: | 7[1] |
| City website | |
| Composition data | |
| Population: | 214,133 |
| Race: | White 64.5% African American 11.7% Asian 6.8% Native American 0.7% Pacific Islander 0.1% Multiple 9.6% |
| Ethnicity: | Hispanic or Latino origin 15.6% |
| Median household income: | $63,966 |
| High school graduation rate: | 87.3% |
| College graduation rate: | 29% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 census and 2023 ACS data. Percentages are rounded to the nearest 0.1%. | |
| Related Des Moines offices | |
| Iowa Congressional Delegation Iowa State Legislature Iowa state executive offices | |
Des Moines is a city in Polk County, Iowa. The city's population was 214,133 as of 2020, according to the United States Census Bureau.
Click on the links below to learn more about the city's...
- Mayor
- City council
- Other elected officials
- Elections
- Census information
- Budget
- Contact information
- Ballot measures
City government
- See also: Council-manager government
The city of Des Moines utilizes a council-manager system. In this form of municipal government, an elected city council—which includes the mayor and serves as the city's primary legislative body—appoints a chief executive called a city manager to oversee day-to-day municipal operations and implement the council's policy and legislative initiatives.[2]
Mayor
The mayor presides over city council meetings and official city ceremonies. The mayor also represents the city on the state, national, and international levels.[2] The current Mayor of Des Moines is Connie Boesen (nonpartisan). Boesen assumed office in 2024.
City manager
The city manager is the city's chief executive. The responsibilities of the city manager include "serving as the primary advisor to the City Council, managing the day-to-day business of the City, and performing as the chief negotiator for the City," according to the city's website.[3]
City council
The Des Moines City Council is the city's primary legislative body. It is responsible for appointing the city manager, adopting the annual budget, enacting legislation, and establishing policy for the city.[3][4]
The city council is made up of seven members, including the mayor. The mayor and two city council members are elected at large, and four city council members are elected by district.[2]
Other elected officials
Ballotpedia does not cover any additional city officials in Des Moines, Iowa.
Mayoral partisanship
Des Moines has a Democratic mayor. As of September 2025, the mayors of 35 state capitals are affiliated with the Democratic Party, seven are Republicans, one is independent, and two are nonpartisan. The partisan affiliation of five state capital mayors is unknown. While most mayoral elections in state capital cities are nonpartisan, most officeholders are affiliated with a political party.
Elections
2025
The city of Des Moines, Iowa, is holding general elections for city council on November 4, 2025. A runoff election is scheduled for December 2, 2025. The filing deadline for this election is September 18, 2025.
2024
The city of Des Moines, Iowa, held a special general election for city council on March 19, 2024. The filing deadline for this election was February 23, 2024
2023
The city of Des Moines, Iowa, held general elections for mayor and city council on November 7, 2023. The filing deadline for this election was September 21, 2023.
2021
The city of Des Moines, Iowa, held general elections for city council on November 2, 2021. The filing deadline for this election was September 16, 2021.
Census information
The table below shows demographic information about the city.
| Demographic Data for Des Moines | |
|---|---|
| Des Moines | |
| Population | 214,133 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 88 |
| Race and ethnicity** | |
| White | 66.9% |
| Black/African American | 12% |
| Asian | 6.2% |
| Native American | 0.5% |
| Pacific Islander | 0.1% |
| Other (single race) | 5.2% |
| Multiple | 9.1% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 16% |
| Education | |
| High school graduation rate | 87.3% |
| College graduation rate | 29% |
| Income | |
| Median household income | $63,966 |
| Persons below poverty level | 14.9% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2018-2023). | |
| **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | |
Budget
The city's budget process operates by fiscal years running from July 1 to June 30. The city manager presents a proposed budget to the city council, and the city council adopts the final budget. City budgets must be approved by the state by March 15 of the calendar year in which they begin.[5]
Fiscally standardized cities data
The fiscally standardized cities (FiSC) data below was compiled by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy to make municipal budgets comparable across cities in the United States.[6]
| “ |
FiSCs are constructed by adding revenues and expenditures of each central city municipal government to a portion of the revenues and expenditures of overlying governments, including counties, independent school districts, and special districts. The allocations to FiSCs are estimates of the revenues collected from and services provided to central city residents and businesses by these overlying independent governments. Thus FiSCs provides a full picture of revenues raised from city residents and businesses and spending on their behalf, whether done by the city government or a separate overlying government.[7] |
” |
| —Lincoln Institute of Land Policy[8] | ||
The tables below show estimated finances within city limits. As such, the revenue and expenses listed may differ from the actual city budget.
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Historical total revenue and expenditure
To see the historical total revenue or expenditures as a rounded amount in this city, hover over the bars.[6]
Contact information
Mayor's office
400 Robert D Ray Drive
Des Moines, IA 50309
Phone: 515-283-4944
City Clerk's office
400 Robert D Ray Dr
Des Moines City Hall, 1st Floor
Des Moines, IA 50309
Phone: 515-283-4209
Click here for city council contact information.
Ballot measures
The city of Des Moines is in Polk County. A list of ballot measures in Polk County is available here.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ The mayor is included in this number as one of the city council members.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 City of Des Moines, "Government," accessed September 13, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 City of Des Moines, "City Manager," accessed September 15, 2021
- ↑ City of Des Moines, "Mayor and Council Departmental Summary," accessed September 15, 2021
- ↑ City of Des Moines, "FY 2023 Operating Budget Combined," accessed August 23, 2023
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, "Fiscally Standardized Cities database," accessed August 23, 2023
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, "Fiscally Standardized Cities," accessed August 23, 2023
