Neighborhood · Des Moines, IA

Fort Des Moines Eviction Risk: Moderate

1 census tracts · pop 6,426 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 4.2/10 · range 4.2–4.2

Fort Des Moines is a white-hispanic neighborhood in Des Moines with 1 census tract and a population of 6,426 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 4.2/10 (Moderate tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 37% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 17% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $896/month sits 18% lower than the Des Moines citywide average ($1,090).

Risk score

4.2

Moderate

1 tracts · population-weighted

Fort Des Moines vs Des Moines How this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average

% of income on rent

37.2% +26%

Des Moines: 29.6%

Average gross rent

$896 -18%

Des Moines: $1,090

Average HH income

$52,917 -17%

Des Moines: $63,966

Poverty rate

12.3% -17%

Des Moines: 14.9%

Renter share

47.0% +19%

Des Moines: 39.5%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across Fort Des Moines and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 1 tracts span score 4.2–4.2

Why Fort Des Moines scores 4.2

9 axes · pop-weighted · 1 = landlord-friendly

State political climate

legislature & governorship · Range 2.3–2.3 across tracts

2.3

Regional political climate

County-level mix · 2024 presidential margin · Range 5.8–5.8 across tracts

5.8

Local political climate

Parent city governance · Range 4.5–4.5 across tracts

4.5

Rent control risk

37% of income on rent · Range 1.0–1.0 across tracts

1.0

Eviction process difficulty

State notice requirements & court backlog · Range 2.5–2.5 across tracts

2.5

Tenant organizing strength

47% renter households · Range 3.0–3.0 across tracts

3.0

Housing court bias

County bench composition · Range 2.5–2.5 across tracts

2.5

Economic stress

12.3% below poverty line · Range 3.1–3.1 across tracts

3.1

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 2.4–2.4 across tracts

2.4

Risk score comparison

Fort Des Moines vs. parent city, state, U.S.

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Census tracts

1 tracts in Fort Des Moines

Ranked highest-risk first. Click for per-tract detail.

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
19153004602	4.2	6,426	37%	$896

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 87

Pop-weighted across 1 tracts. Higher = more vulnerable to disaster, displacement, and rent shocks. Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022.

Socioeconomic status 71%ile

Poverty, unemployment, no-HS-diploma, housing cost burden

Household characteristics 83%ile

Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+

Racial/ethnic minority 58%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 95%ile

Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle

Eviction filings · Princeton Eviction Lab

Court-record eviction history in Fort Des Moines

Aggregated across 1 validated constituent tract. Filing rate is filings per 100 renter households, pop-weighted.

Historic baseline (2000–2018)

2,017Total filings (sum)
17.99%Avg annual filing rate
22.8%Peak year (2007)
16.27%Latest filed (2015)

CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted

Eviction-adjacent indicators in Fort Des Moines

Average across all constituent tracts, population-weighted. Source: CDC PLACES (cwsq-ngmh) crude prevalence.

15.3%Housing insecurity
9.5%Utility shutoff threat
19.4%Food insecurity
15.9%SNAP enrollment
12.0%No health insurance
31.6%Any disability

Frequently asked

About Fort Des Moines

What is the eviction-risk score for Fort Des Moines?

Fort Des Moines scores 4.2/10 (Moderate tier) across 1 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.

How does Fort Des Moines compare to Des Moines overall?

Fort Des Moines scores 1.6 points higher than Des Moines overall (2.6/10). Renters spend 37% of income on rent vs 30% citywide. Average rent: $896 vs $1,090.

What is the average rent in Fort Des Moines?

Average gross rent in Fort Des Moines eviction risk is $896/month (pop-weighted across 1 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 37% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of Fort Des Moines residents are renters?

47% of Fort Des Moines households are renter-occupied (vs 40% in Des Moines). The neighborhood has 6,426 residents.

Is Fort Des Moines a high social-vulnerability area?

Fort Des Moines sits in the 87th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (highly vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.

How safe is Fort Des Moines for landlords?

Fort Des Moines eviction risk carries a moderate-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (4.2/10). Pop-weighted across 1 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Des Moines as a whole (2.6/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.

What is the demographic breakdown of Fort Des Moines?

Fort Des Moines has 6,015 residents (White-Hispanic Neighborhood). Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (58.4%), Hispanic / Latino (23.7%), Black (non-Hispanic) (14.1%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near Fort Des Moines

4.2 Watrous South 3 tracts · pop 10,727 3.9 Pioneer Park 2 tracts · pop 9,731 2.9 Southwestern Hills 2 tracts · pop 3,019 4.2 Drake 2 tracts · pop 8,362 3.7 Accent 3 tracts · pop 8,879 3.2 Waveland Park 2 tracts · pop 6,019

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Des Moines

Same parent city, ranked by score similarity to Fort Des Moines.

4.2 Laurel Hill 1 tracts · pop 2,406 4.2 Drake 2 tracts · pop 8,362 4.2 Fairmont Park 2 tracts · pop 5,523 4.2 Highland Park 2 tracts · pop 9,488 4.3 Watrous South 3 tracts · pop 10,727 4.3 Linden Heights 1 tracts · pop 4,093

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