FHFA quarterly index through 2026 Q2Annual index 1975–2025Permits through August 2026
Des Moines-West Des Moines (100 = first year)United States, rebased to the same startNBER recession
FHFA notes: The FHFA HPI is a broad measure of the movement of single-family house prices. The FHFA HPI is a weighted, repeat-sales index, meaning that it measures average price changes in repeat sales or refinancings on the same properties. The line above is FHFA's standard quarterly all-transactions index for the metropolitan area; the comparison table below uses FHFA's annual CBSA index, which FHFA describes as developmental. The index does not give a dollar value for any home.
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is a metropolitan statistical area of 6 counties and about 759,000 residents. FHFA's annual index for it begins in 1975 and has risen +605.6% through 2025.
The standard quarterly index for the area, published through 2026 Q2, is +2.3% on a year earlier and +1.3% on the previous quarter.
Over the ten years to 2025 the annual index rose +68.2% (+5.3% a year), close to Iowa at +65.4% and well below the national +85.0%.
From a 2007 peak the index fell −6.3% to 2012, regaining the peak in 2015.
Across its counties, 5,149 housing units were authorised in the 12 months to August 2026, 6.8 per 1,000 residents, −11.4% on the previous 12 months.
+2.3%year to 2026 Q2, quarterly indexUS +3.0%
+1.6%1 year, 2024–2025US +2.8%
+40.9%5 yearsUS +47.0%
+68.2%10 years+5.3% a year annualised
+119.2%since 2000US +158.3%
5,149units permitted, 12 months6.8 per 1,000 residents
FHFA annual all-transactions indexes over identical years.
Decade by decade
Decade
Change
United States
1980s (1980–1990)
+27.0%
+68.2%
1990s (1990–2000)
+53.7%
+33.9%
2000s (2000–2010)
+22.1%
+29.7%
2010s (2010–2020)
+27.3%
+35.5%
2020s so far (2020–2025)
+40.9%
+47.0%
FHFA reports each index with a value of 100 in its base period, the first year the area has enough transactions (1975 here). A decade's change is the index at the end of the decade divided by the index at the start, so it does not depend on the base year; the United States column covers the same years. Decades before 1975 are not shown.
Peak-to-low declines
Peak
Low
Decline
Peak regained
2007
2012
−6.3%
2015
1979
1981
−5.5%
1983
Building permits across the area
Housing units authorised in the area's 6 counties (OMB July 2023 delineations), summed from county files.
Housing units authorised in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area by month, latest 12 monthssingle-family2+ unit buildings
Housing units authorised in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area by month, latest 60 monthssingle-family2+ unit buildings
Housing units authorised in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area by year, 1995–2025single-family2+ unit buildings
Permits, 12 months to August 2026
This area
Iowa
United States
Housing units authorised
5,149
12,933
1,418,086
Units per 1,000 residents
6.8
4.0
4.1
Single-family share
64%
57%
63%
Change on previous 12 months
−11.4%
−5.1%
−0.1%
Counties in the area
Ranked by ten-year change in FHFA's county index to 2025; permits are the latest 12 months.
How much have home values in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area risen over 10 years?
The FHFA annual index rose +68.2% between 2015 and 2025, about +5.3% a year. Over 20 years: +77.5%; since 2000: +119.2%. The quarterly index is +2.3% on a year earlier as of 2026 Q2.
Which counties in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area rose most?
By ten-year change to 2025: Guthrie County (+76.9%), Jasper County (+76.7%) and Madison County (+74.1%).
What happened to Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA prices after 2007?
The index peaked in 2007, fell −6.3% to 2012 and regained the peak in 2015. Nationally: −21.3% from 2007 to 2012.
How many homes are being built in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area?
5,149 housing units were authorised across the area's counties in the 12 months to August 2026, 64% of them single-family, 6.8 per 1,000 residents.
Where does this data come from?
FHFA's annual CBSA house price index (developmental, updated March 31, 2026) and its standard quarterly metropolitan index; Census Bureau building permits summed over member counties (OMB July 2023 delineations) through August 2026; vintage 2025 population estimates.
Provenance
Index: Federal Housing Finance Agency, annual house price index for core based statistical areas (all-transactions, developmental), last updated March 31, 2026, values 1975–2025; quarterly metropolitan area index (all-transactions) through 2026 Q2. Permits: Census Bureau Building Permits Survey county files through August 2026, summed over member counties from OMB's July 2023 delineations. Population: Census Bureau vintage 2025 estimates. Public domain. Corrections · FHFA HPI datasets.