Des Moines metropolitan area



The Des Moines metropolitan area, officially known as the Des Moines-West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), consists of five counties in central Iowa, United States: Polk, Dallas, Warren, Madison, and Guthrie. The 2000 census population of these counties was 481,394, and the 2009 estimated population was 562,906.

Two additional counties, Jasper and Marion, are part of the Des Moines-Newton-Pella Combined Statistical Area (CSA). The area encompasses the separate micropolitan areas of Newton (Jasper County) and Pella (Marion County). The total population of the CSA was 550,659 in the 2000 census and 631,845 based on 2009 estimates.

Geography
The lowest geographical point in the metropolitan area is the Des Moines River, where it passes the northeast corner of Warren County, and the southeast corner of Polk County.

Historical definitions
Polk County was originally the only county in the Des Moines metropolitan area when the United States Bureau of the Budget (now the United States Office of Management and Budget) began defining metropolitan areas in 1950. Warren County was added in 1973 and Dallas County was added in 1983. Guthrie and Madison counties were added in 2003 after metropolitan areas were redefined. In 2005 the area was renamed the Des Moines-West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area after a special census showed that West Des Moines had topped the 50,000 mark in population.

Places with more than 200,000 inhabitants

 * Des Moines (Principal city)

Places with 50,000 to 100,000 inahbitants

 * West Des Moines (Principal city)

Places with 10,000 to 50,000 inhabitants

 * Altoona
 * Ankeny
 * Clive
 * Indianola
 * Johnston
 * Urbandale
 * Waukee

Places with 1,000 to 10,000 inhabitants

 * Adel
 * Bondurant
 * Carlisle
 * Coon Rapids (partial)
 * Dallas Center
 * De Soto
 * Earlham
 * Granger
 * Grimes
 * Guthrie Center
 * Mitchellville (partial)


 * Norwalk
 * Panora
 * Perry
 * Pleasant Hill
 * Polk City
 * Saylorville (census-designated place)
 * Stuart (partial)
 * Van Meter
 * Windsor Heights
 * Winterset
 * Woodward

Places with fewer than 1,000 inhabitants

 * Ackworth
 * Adair (partial)
 * Alleman
 * Bagley
 * Bayard
 * Bevington
 * Bouton
 * Casey (partial)
 * Cumming
 * Dawson
 * Dexter


 * East Peru
 * Elkhart
 * Hartford
 * Jamaica
 * Lacona
 * Linden
 * Macksburg
 * Martensdale
 * Menlo
 * Milo
 * Minburn


 * New Virginia
 * Patterson
 * Redfield
 * Runnells
 * Sandyville
 * Sheldahl (partial)
 * Spring Hill
 * St. Charles
 * St. Marys
 * Truro
 * Union
 * Yale

Unincorporated places

 * Berwick
 * Booneville

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 481,394 people, 189,371 households, and 126,177 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 90.24% White, 3.85% African American, 0.24% Native American, 2.15% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.00% from other races, and 1.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.02% of the population.

The median income for a household in the MSA was $44,667, and the median income for a family was $52,617. Males had a median income of $34,710 versus $25,593 for females. The per capita income for the MSA was $21,253.