Neighborhood · Des Moines, IA

Grays Lake Eviction Risk: Lower

1 census tracts · pop 3,179 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 3.3/10 · range 3.3–3.3

Grays Lake is a white (non-hispanic) neighborhood in Des Moines with 1 census tract and a population of 3,179 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 3.3/10 (Lower tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 84% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 20% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $978/month sits 10% lower than the Des Moines citywide average ($1,090).

Risk score

3.3

Lower

1 tracts · population-weighted

Grays Lake vs Des Moines How this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average

% of income on rent

83.7% +183%

Des Moines: 29.6%

Average gross rent

$978 -10%

Des Moines: $1,090

Average HH income

$81,438 +27%

Des Moines: $63,966

Poverty rate

7.8% -48%

Des Moines: 14.9%

Renter share

11.6% -71%

Des Moines: 39.5%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across Grays Lake and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 1 tracts span score 3.3–3.3

Why Grays Lake scores 3.3

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

84% 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

12% 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

7.8% below poverty line · Range 2.0–2.0 across tracts

2.0

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 3.0–3.0 across tracts

3.0

Risk score comparison

Grays Lake vs. parent city, state, U.S.

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Census tracts

1 tracts in Grays Lake

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

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
19153004100	3.3	3,179	84%	$978

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 28

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

Socioeconomic status 32%ile

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

Household characteristics 64%ile

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

Racial/ethnic minority 23%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 19%ile

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

Eviction filings · Princeton Eviction Lab

Court-record eviction history in Grays Lake

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

Historic baseline (2000–2018)

178Total filings (sum)
6.36%Avg annual filing rate
13.6%Peak year (2010)
7.37%Latest filed (2015)

CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted

Eviction-adjacent indicators in Grays Lake

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

9.3%Housing insecurity
6.0%Utility shutoff threat
10.8%Food insecurity
8.7%SNAP enrollment
6.8%No health insurance
26.8%Any disability

Frequently asked

About Grays Lake

What is the eviction-risk score for Grays Lake?

Grays Lake scores 3.3/10 (Lower 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 Grays Lake compare to Des Moines overall?

Grays Lake scores 0.7 points higher than Des Moines overall (2.6/10). Renters spend 84% of income on rent vs 30% citywide. Average rent: $978 vs $1,090.

What is the average rent in Grays Lake?

Average gross rent in Grays Lake is $978/month (pop-weighted across 1 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 84% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of Grays Lake residents are renters?

12% of Grays Lake households are renter-occupied (vs 40% in Des Moines). The neighborhood has 3,179 residents.

Is Grays Lake a high social-vulnerability area?

Grays Lake sits in the 28th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (less vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.

How safe is Grays Lake for landlords?

Grays Lake carries a lower-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (3.3/10). 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 Grays Lake?

Grays Lake has 3,099 residents (White (non-Hispanic) Neighborhood). Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (87.8%), Hispanic / Latino (11.1%), Black (non-Hispanic) (0.6%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near Grays Lake

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 3.2 Waveland Park 2 tracts · pop 6,019 4.2 Highland Park 2 tracts · pop 9,488

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Des Moines

Same parent city, ranked by score similarity to Grays Lake.

3.3 Brook Run 3 tracts · pop 15,093 3.2 Meredith 2 tracts · pop 10,800 3.4 Lower Beaver 2 tracts · pop 6,931 3.1 Waveland Park 2 tracts · pop 6,019 3 Beaverdale 2 tracts · pop 6,191 2.9 Merle Hay 5 tracts · pop 20,903

Zoom out