City Health · United States · Americas
Health in Des Moines: the measures that matter
A factual read on health in Des Moines, IA: 56 City Health Dashboard measures spanning 5 domains — clinical care, health behaviors, health outcomes, physical environment, social and economic factors — each shown with its data period and the national dataset it comes from. Every number below is a City Health Dashboard estimate for Des Moines, with its data period and underlying source shown — read it as orientation, not a diagnosis.
Clinical Care
Prenatal Care
76%
Higher is better2023
Natality Data, National Vital Statistics System, National Center for Health StatisticsHealth Behaviors
Teen Births
22.6 per 1,000
Lower is better2023
Natality Data, National Vital Statistics System, National Center for Health StatisticsHealth Outcomes
Breast Cancer Deaths
22.3 per 100,000
Lower is better2023
Multiple Cause of Death Data, National Vital Statistics System, National Center for Health StatisticsCardiovascular Disease Deaths
250.4 per 100,000
Lower is better2023
Multiple Cause of Death Data, National Vital Statistics System, National Center for Health StatisticsColorectal Cancer Deaths
15.6 per 100,000
Lower is better2023
Multiple Cause of Death Data, National Vital Statistics System, National Center for Health StatisticsFirearm Homicides
5.2 per 100,000
Lower is better2023
Multiple Cause of Death Data, National Vital Statistics System, National Center for Health StatisticsFirearm Suicides
8.8 per 100,000
Lower is better2023
Multiple Cause of Death Data, National Vital Statistics System, National Center for Health StatisticsLife Expectancy - City-Level
73.8 years
Higher is better2023
Multiple Cause of Death Data, National Vital Statistics System, National Center for Health StatisticsLife Expectancy - Neighborhood-Level, 2015
76.5 years
Higher is better2015
U.S. Small-area Life Expectancy Estimates Project (USALEEP)Low Birthweight
8.8%
Lower is better2023
Natality Data, National Vital Statistics System, National Center for Health StatisticsOpioid Overdose Deaths
25.4 per 100,000
Lower is better2023
Multiple Cause of Death Data, National Vital Statistics System, National Center for Health StatisticsPremature Deaths (All Causes)
10440.9 per 100,000
Lower is better2023
Multiple Cause of Death Data, National Vital Statistics System, National Center for Health StatisticsPhysical Environment
CO2 Emissions - Census Tract Average, Commercial Buildings
4988 value
Lower is better2025
Crosswalk LabsCO2 Emissions - Census Tract Average, Electricity Production
131 value
Lower is better2025
Crosswalk LabsCO2 Emissions - Census Tract Average, Industrial Buildings
6466 value
Lower is better2025
Crosswalk LabsCO2 Emissions - Census Tract Average, Residential Buildings
3937 value
Lower is better2025
Crosswalk LabsHousing with Potential Lead Risk
37.3%
Lower is better2024
American Community Survey, U.S. Census BureauSocial and Economic Factors
Chronic Absenteeism
43.3%
Lower is better2023
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of EducationNeighborhood Racial/Ethnic Segregation
11.8 index
Lower is better2024
American Community Survey, U.S. Census BureauUnemployment - Annual, Neighborhood-Level
5.6%
Lower is better2024
American Community Survey, U.S. Census BureauUnemployment - Current, City-Level
3%
Lower is better202604
Local Area Unemployment Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsHow to read these numbers
- Each figure is a City Health Dashboard estimate for Des Moines; the data period is shown on every measure.
- The arrow shows CHD's scale direction — whether a higher number means better or worse health for that measure, not a grade for the city.
- Every measure traces to a national dataset (CDC, Census, and peers); the exact source is linked on each card.
- These are city-level population estimates for orientation — not individual medical advice.
Health services to compare
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Every figure on this page comes from the City Health Dashboard and the national datasets it draws on.
- City Health Dashboard — NYU Langone Health, Department of Population Health
- PLACES Project, Centers for Disease Control
- Natality Data, National Vital Statistics System, National Center for Health Statistics
- American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau
- Multiple Cause of Death Data, National Vital Statistics System, National Center for Health Statistics
- U.S. Small-area Life Expectancy Estimates Project (USALEEP)
- George Mason University
- Crosswalk Labs
- ParkServe®
- Walk Score®
- National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
- Stanford Education Data Archive
- Local Area Unemployment Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics