Neighborhood · Des Moines, IA

Western Gateway Eviction Risk: Moderate

1 census tracts · pop 6,728 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 4.7/10 · range 4.7–4.7

Western Gateway is a white (non-hispanic) neighborhood in Des Moines with 1 census tract and a population of 6,728 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 4.7/10 (Moderate tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 32% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 13% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $1,151/month sits 6% higher than the Des Moines citywide average ($1,090).

Risk score

4.7

Moderate

1 tracts · population-weighted

Western Gateway vs Des Moines How this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average

% of income on rent

32.0% +8%

Des Moines: 29.6%

Average gross rent

$1,151 +6%

Des Moines: $1,090

Average HH income

$56,838 -11%

Des Moines: $63,966

Poverty rate

19.7% +32%

Des Moines: 14.9%

Renter share

88.0% +123%

Des Moines: 39.5%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across Western Gateway and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 1 tracts span score 4.7–4.7

Why Western Gateway scores 4.7

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

32% 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

88% 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

19.7% below poverty line · Range 4.9–4.9 across tracts

4.9

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 4.5–4.5 across tracts

4.5

Risk score comparison

Western Gateway vs. parent city, state, U.S.

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Census tracts

1 tracts in Western Gateway

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

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
19153005101	4.7	6,728	32%	$1,151

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 35

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

Socioeconomic status 46%ile

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

Household characteristics 1%ile

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

Racial/ethnic minority 47%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 87%ile

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

CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted

Eviction-adjacent indicators in Western Gateway

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

8.7%Housing insecurity
6.0%Utility shutoff threat
9.9%Food insecurity
7.7%SNAP enrollment
5.7%No health insurance
20.8%Any disability

Frequently asked

About Western Gateway

What is the eviction-risk score for Western Gateway?

Western Gateway scores 4.7/10 (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 Western Gateway compare to Des Moines overall?

Western Gateway scores 2.1 points higher than Des Moines overall (2.6/10). Renters spend 32% of income on rent vs 30% citywide. Average rent: $1,151 vs $1,090.

What is the average rent in Western Gateway?

Average gross rent in Western Gateway is $1,151/month (pop-weighted across 1 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 32% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of Western Gateway residents are renters?

88% of Western Gateway households are renter-occupied (vs 40% in Des Moines). The neighborhood has 6,728 residents.

Is Western Gateway a high social-vulnerability area?

Western Gateway sits in the 35th 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 Western Gateway for landlords?

Western Gateway carries a moderate-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (4.7/10). 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 Western Gateway?

Western Gateway has 6,450 residents (White (non-Hispanic) Neighborhood). Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (70.3%), Black (non-Hispanic) (10.7%), Hispanic / Latino (9.3%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near Western Gateway

4.2 Drake 2 tracts · pop 8,362 3.9 Pioneer Park 2 tracts · pop 9,731 4.2 Watrous South 3 tracts · pop 10,727 4.2 Highland Park 2 tracts · pop 9,488 3.2 Waveland Park 2 tracts · pop 6,019 3.1 Beaverdale 2 tracts · pop 6,191

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Des Moines

Same parent city, ranked by score similarity to Western Gateway.

4.7 Avon Lake 1 tracts · pop 4,379 4.8 Martin Luther King Jr. Park 1 tracts · pop 2,486 4.5 Oak Park 1 tracts · pop 3,728 4.9 Capitol East 1 tracts · pop 3,153 4.9 South Central DSM 1 tracts · pop 4,062 4.4 Union Park 1 tracts · pop 2,930

Zoom out