Neighborhood · Des Moines, IA

Somerset Eviction Risk: Moderate

2 census tracts · pop 4,669 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 4.1/10 · range 3.1–4.8

Somerset is a white (non-hispanic) neighborhood in Des Moines with 2 census tracts and a population of 4,669 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 4.1/10 (Moderate tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 34% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 18% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $635/month sits 42% lower than the Des Moines citywide average ($1,090).

Risk score

4.1

Moderate

2 tracts · population-weighted

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

% of income on rent

34.3% +16%

Des Moines: 29.6%

Average gross rent

$635 -42%

Des Moines: $1,090

Average HH income

$54,908 -14%

Des Moines: $63,966

Poverty rate

13.4% -10%

Des Moines: 14.9%

Renter share

45.8% +16%

Des Moines: 39.5%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across Somerset and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 2 tracts span score 3.1–4.8

Why Somerset scores 4.1

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 4.2–5.8 across tracts

5.2

Local political climate

Parent city governance · Range 4.5–4.5 across tracts

4.5

Rent control risk

34% 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

46% 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

13.4% below poverty line · Range 1.4–4.7 across tracts

3.4

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 3.7–5.0 across tracts

4.2

Risk score comparison

Somerset vs. parent city, state, U.S.

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Census tracts

2 tracts in Somerset

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

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
19153004702	4.8	2,810	57%	$1,055
19181020101	3.1	1,859	—	—

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 95

Pop-weighted across 2 tracts. Higher = more vulnerable to disaster, displacement, and rent shocks. Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022.

Socioeconomic status 78%ile

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

Household characteristics 89%ile

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

Racial/ethnic minority 59%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 99%ile

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

Eviction filings · Princeton Eviction Lab

Court-record eviction history in Somerset

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

Historic baseline (2000–2018)

1,562Total filings (sum)
27.30%Avg annual filing rate
29.8%Peak year (2012)
21.49%Latest filed (2015)

CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted

Eviction-adjacent indicators in Somerset

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

21.5%Housing insecurity
15.5%Utility shutoff threat
29.8%Food insecurity
29.5%SNAP enrollment
14.2%No health insurance
37.3%Any disability

Frequently asked

About Somerset

What is the eviction-risk score for Somerset?

Somerset scores 4.1/10 (Moderate tier) across 2 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 Somerset compare to Des Moines overall?

Somerset scores 1.5 points higher than Des Moines overall (2.6/10). Renters spend 34% of income on rent vs 30% citywide. Average rent: $635 vs $1,090.

What is the average rent in Somerset?

Average gross rent in Somerset is $635/month (pop-weighted across 2 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 34% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of Somerset residents are renters?

46% of Somerset households are renter-occupied (vs 40% in Des Moines). The neighborhood has 4,669 residents.

Is Somerset a high social-vulnerability area?

Somerset sits in the 95th 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.

Which tracts in Somerset have the highest eviction risk?

The highest-risk constituent tract in Somerset is census tract 19153004702 (score 4.8/10). Across the 2 tracts in this neighborhood the score ranges from 3.1 to 4.8, a spread of 1.7 points.

How safe is Somerset for landlords?

Somerset carries a moderate-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (4.1/10). Pop-weighted across 2 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 Somerset?

Somerset has 4,977 residents (White (non-Hispanic) Neighborhood). Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (66.4%), Hispanic / Latino (15.7%), Black (non-Hispanic) (9.6%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near Somerset

4.2 Watrous South 3 tracts · pop 10,727 2.9 Southwestern Hills 2 tracts · pop 3,019 3.9 Pioneer Park 2 tracts · pop 9,731 4.2 Drake 2 tracts · pop 8,362 3.7 Accent 3 tracts · pop 8,879 2.1 Commerce 3 tracts · pop 17,749

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Des Moines

Same parent city, ranked by score similarity to Somerset.

4 North of Grand 1 tracts · pop 3,784 4.2 Highland Park 2 tracts · pop 9,488 4.2 Laurel Hill 1 tracts · pop 2,406 4.2 Fort Des Moines 1 tracts · pop 6,426 4.2 Drake 2 tracts · pop 8,362 4.2 Fairmont Park 2 tracts · pop 5,523

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