Des Moines

Des Moines, IA

The capital and largest city in the American state of Iowa is Des Moines (/dmn/ (listen)). It serves as Polk County's County seat as well. Only a small portion of the city borders Warren County. On September 22, 1851, Fort Des Moines, which was later abbreviated to "Des Moines," was incorporated. 5 It is situated on the Des Moines River, after which it gets its name. Rivière des Moines, which translates to "River of the Monks" in early French, is probably where the name originated. As of the 2020 census, there were 214,133 people living in the city. 6 According to the 2019 estimate by the United States Census Bureau, the six-county metropolitan area, which is the largest fully contained metropolitan area fully located inside the state, is ranked 83rd in terms of population in the United States with 699,292 persons. 7 

Des Moines is a significant hub for the American insurance sector and has a big publishing and financial services industry. According to a Business Wire story, the city is the "number one place for U.S. insurance companies" and the third-largest "insurance capital" in the world. The Principal Financial Group, Ruan Transportation, TMC Transportation, EMC Insurance Companies, and Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield all have their corporate offices in this city. Some significant businesses with significant operations in or close to the metro region include Wells Fargo, Cognizant, Voya Financial, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, ACE Limited, Marsh, Monsanto, and Corteva. Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, and Facebook89 have all constructed data processing and logistical centers around Des Moines in recent years. 

As the state's capital and the location of the nation's first presidential primary caucuses, Des Moines is a significant city in American presidential politics. In Des Moines, many presidential contenders established their campaign headquarters. According to a 2007 New York Times article, "Des Moines is undoubtedly the best location to go if you have any desire to observe presidential contenders in the most close-up and intimate of settings." 10 

Cityscape 

When numerous new skyscrapers were constructed in Des Moines during the 1970s and 1980s, the city's skyline transformed. Throughout the 1990s, several towers were constructed, including Iowa's highest. Prior to that, the city's and Iowa's tallest structure was the 19-story Equitable Building, constructed in 1924. The 36-story Ruan Center and the 25-story Financial Center were both finished in 1974. The 33-story Des Moines Marriott Hotel (1981), the 25-story HUB Tower, and the 25-story Plaza Building eventually joined them (1985). Principal Financial Group's 45-story tower at 801 Grand, Iowa's tallest structure, was constructed in 1991, and the 19-story EMC Insurance Building was built in 1997. 

The Civic Center of Greater Des Moines (1979), which hosts Broadway performances and special events, was built during this time. Furthermore built were the Polk County Convention Complex (1985), the State of Iowa History Museum, and the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden (1979), a sizable city botanical garden and greenhouse on the east bank of the river (1987). Throughout the 1980s, the Des Moines skywalk also started to take shape. The 4 miles (6.4 km) long skywalk system connects numerous downtown towers. 3435 

The city's core has undergone more significant construction in the early twenty-first century. In 2005, the Iowa Events Center, Blank IMAX Dome Cinema, and new Science Center of Iowa were opened. On April 8, 2006, the renowned London architect David Chipperfield's new central branch of the Des Moines Public Library opened. 

In October 2011, the former Des Moines Public Library building's adaption and restoration were finished by the Des Moines-based World Food Prize Foundation. The Norman Borlaug/World Food Prize Hall of Laureates now has its home and headquarters in the former library. 

Geography 

The city has a total area of 90.65 square miles (234.78 km2), of which 88.93 square miles (230.33 km2) is land and 1.73 square miles (4.48 km2) is water36, according to the United States Census Bureau. 

37 At the meeting of the Raccoon and Des Moines Rivers, the elevation is 850 feet (260 meters) above sea level. 

Voters in Des Moines authorized the city to acquire land parcels in the northeast, southeast, and southern parts of the city without the consent of locals, particularly in areas near the Iowa Highway 5/U.S. 65 bypass. On June 26, 2009, 5,174 acres (20.94 km2) and about 868 new residents were added to the city of Des Moines, making the annexations legally binding. 38 Over the same time period, the city willingly annexed an additional 759 acres (3.07 km2). 38 

Climate 

The Des Moines area has a hot summer type humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa), with warm to hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters. It is located in the middle of North America and is far from large bodies of water. Summertime highs are frequently in the 90 to 100 °F (32 to 38 °C) range with sporadic 100 °F (38 °C) highs. Throughout the spring and summer, there may be a lot of humidity and a lot of afternoon thunderstorms. Autumn is characterized by comfortable temperatures and vibrant foliage. Winters can range from mild to extremely cold, with lows frequently falling below 0 °F (18 °C). The amount of precipitation annually averages 36.55 inches (928 mm), with a peak in the warmer months, while the amount of snowfall per season is 36.5 inches (93 cm). Summer temperatures in the Upper Midwest metropolitan areas are relatively similar to those in Chicago, with winters being just slightly colder than Minneapolis but still warmer than Chicago. 

Economy 

The Principal Financial Group, EMC Insurance Group, Fidelity & Guaranty Life, Allied Insurance, GuideOne Insurance, Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Iowa, FBL Financial Group, and American Republic Insurance Company are just a few of the insurance firms with their corporate headquarters in Des Moines. The state of Iowa is appealing to the insurance industry because it has one of the lowest insurance premium taxes in the country (1%), and it doesn't impose any premium taxes on eligible life insurance products. 54 Because of this, Des Moines has earned the nicknames "Insurance Capitol" and "Hartford of the West." 5556 The Principal, which is ranked 201st on the magazine's list in 2020, is one of just two Fortune 500 firms with headquarters in Iowa (the other is Casey's General Stores). 57 

Some significant businesses with headquarters outside of Iowa, such as Wells Fargo, Voya Financial, and Electronic Data Systems, have a presence in the Des Moines metro area as a hub of financial and insurance services (EDS). Prior to being acquired by IAC and merging with Dotdash in 2021, the renowned publishing and marketing giant The Meredith Corporation also had its headquarters in Des Moines. Better Homes and Gardens, one of the most widely read publications in the US, was published by Meredith. Golf Digest magazine also has its offices in Des Moines. 

UnityPoint Health, Mercy Medical Center, MidAmerican Energy Company, CDS Global, UPS, Firestone Agricultural Tire Company, EDS, Drake University, Titan Tire, The Des Moines Register, Anderson Erickson, Dee Zee, and EMCO are a few additional significant employers in Des Moines.58 

In Des Moines, Kemin Industries unveiled a cutting-edge global headquarters building in 2017. 

Education 

The Des Moines Public Schools district, which enrolled 32,062 students for the 2012–2013 academic year, is the biggest community school system in Iowa. The district has 63 schools, including ten special schools and programs, five high schools (East, Hoover, Lincoln, North, and Roosevelt), and 38 elementary schools. Grand View Christian School is the only private school in the city, though some students attend Des Moines Christian School (in Des Moines from 1947 to 2006) in Urbandale, Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines, and Ankeny Christian Academy on the north side of the metro area. Smaller areas of the city are instead served by Carlisle Community Schools, Johnston Community Schools, the Southeast Polk Community School District, the Saydel School District, and the Carlisle School District. 

Three four-year private universities, Drake University, Grand View University, and Mercy College of Health Sciences, have their main campuses in Des Moines as well. While Iowa State University offers Master of Business Administration classes in the city's center, the University of Iowa operates a satellite campus in Western Gateway Park. Upper Iowa University, William Penn University, Simpson College, and Purdue University Worldwide are other examples. The community college in the area is called Des Moines Area Community College, and it has locations in Ankeny, Des Moines, and West Des Moines. Des Moines University, an osteopathic medical school, is also located in the city. 

Sports 

Des Moines is home to the Drake University sports teams, which compete in NCAA Division I, as well as professional minor league clubs in the sports of baseball, basketball, hockey, indoor football, and soccer. 

The Drake University Bulldogs, an NCAA Division I team competing in the Missouri Valley Conference, are based in Des Moines and play the majority of their home games at Drake Stadium and Knapp Center, which are located on campus. The renowned Drake Relays are held at Drake Stadium in April. Drake Stadium has additionally held numerous NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships and USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in addition to the Drake Relays. 96 

Drake Stadium is also home to the USL League Two soccer team Des Moines Menace. 

The Triple-A East Iowa Cubs baseball team is based in Des Moines. The Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers meet near Principal Park, where the I-Cubs, the Triple-A club of the major league Chicago Cubs, play their home games. 

The Iowa Barnstormers of the Indoor Football League, the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League, and the Iowa Wolves of the NBA G League all call the Wells Fargo Arena of the Iowa Events Center home. The Barnstormers, who had previously competed in the Arena Football League from 1994 to 2000 (featuring future NFL Hall of Famer and Super Bowl MVP quarterback Kurt Warner), relaunched as an af2 team in 2008 before joining a relaunched Arena Football League in 2010 and the Indoor Football League in 2015. A D-League team called the Iowa Energy started competing in 2007. In order to reflect their new ownership, they changed their name to the Iowa Wolves after being acquired by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2017. Since 2013, the Minnesota Wild's AHL affiliate, the Wild, have played at Wells Fargo Arena; before that, the Iowa Chops spent four seasons there (known as the Iowa Stars for three of those seasons.) 

In addition, Buccaneer Arena in the Urbandale area hosts games for the USHL's Des Moines Buccaneers. 

Grand View University's Vikings participate in intercollegiate athletic competition in Des Moines. They field 21 varsity sporting teams as a member of the NAIA's Heart of America Athletic Conference. In 2013, they won the football NAIA National Championship. 

Wakonda Club hosts the Principal Charity Classic, a Champions Tour golf competition, in late May or early June. Every October, the IMT Des Moines Marathon takes place all throughout the city. 

Population 

Polk County, Iowa, is home to the city of Des Moines. It serves as Polk County's County seat as well. It is the largest city in Iowa and the 111th largest city in the United States with a population of 217,343 in 2023. Des Moines' population has grown by 1.5% from the most recent census, which showed a population of 214,133 in 2020, and is now rising at a rate of 0.49% yearly. Des Moines, which stretches across 91 miles, has 2,465 inhabitants per square mile. 

Des Moines has a 19.61% poverty rate and a $69,074 average household income. The median monthly cost of rent in recent years has been, and the median value of a home is. In Des Moines, the median age is 34 years, with 33.6 years for men and 34.4 years for women. 

The capital and largest city of Iowa is Des Moines. The Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers meet in this city, which bears its name after the Des Moines River. The city is important to American presidential politics and consistently ranks at the top of rankings of the finest places to live and conduct business. 

The five-county metropolitan area is home to an estimated 590,000 people and is the 88th most populous in the nation.