Neighborhood · Des Moines, IA

Westwood Eviction Risk: Lower

1 census tracts · pop 1,844 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 2.8/10 · range 2.8–2.8

Westwood is a white (non-hispanic) neighborhood in Des Moines with 1 census tract and a population of 1,844 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 2.8/10 (Lower tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 23% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 8% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $1,089/month sits 0% lower than the Des Moines citywide average ($1,090).

Risk score

2.8

Lower

1 tracts · population-weighted

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

% of income on rent

23.0% -22%

Des Moines: 29.6%

Average gross rent

$1,089 0%

Des Moines: $1,090

Average HH income

$97,431 +52%

Des Moines: $63,966

Poverty rate

2.5% -83%

Des Moines: 14.9%

Renter share

34.2% -13%

Des Moines: 39.5%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across Westwood and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 1 tracts span score 2.8–2.8

Why Westwood scores 2.8

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

23% 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

34% 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

2.5% below poverty line · Range 1.0–1.0 across tracts

1.0

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 4.0–4.0 across tracts

4.0

Risk score comparison

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

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Census tracts

1 tracts in Westwood

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

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
19153003100	2.8	1,844	23%	$1,089

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 7

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

Socioeconomic status 17%ile

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

Household characteristics 12%ile

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

Racial/ethnic minority 24%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 9%ile

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

Eviction filings · Princeton Eviction Lab

Court-record eviction history in Westwood

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

Historic baseline (2000–2018)

22Total filings (sum)
1.16%Avg annual filing rate
2.2%Peak year (2006)
0.52%Latest filed (2015)

CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted

Eviction-adjacent indicators in Westwood

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

5.3%Housing insecurity
3.7%Utility shutoff threat
5.3%Food insecurity
3.9%SNAP enrollment
3.6%No health insurance
19.6%Any disability

Frequently asked

About Westwood

What is the eviction-risk score for Westwood?

Westwood scores 2.8/10 (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 Westwood compare to Des Moines overall?

Westwood scores 0.2 points higher than Des Moines overall (2.6/10). Renters spend 23% of income on rent vs 30% citywide. Average rent: $1,089 vs $1,090.

What is the average rent in Westwood?

Average gross rent in Westwood is $1,089/month (pop-weighted across 1 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 23% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of Westwood residents are renters?

34% of Westwood households are renter-occupied (vs 40% in Des Moines). The neighborhood has 1,844 residents.

Is Westwood a high social-vulnerability area?

Westwood sits in the 7th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (low vulnerability). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.

How safe is Westwood for landlords?

Westwood carries a lower-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (2.8/10). 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 in line with the citywide level.

What is the demographic breakdown of Westwood?

Westwood has 1,818 residents (White (non-Hispanic) Neighborhood). Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (82.2%), Asian (non-Hispanic) (9.1%), Other / Multiracial (4.7%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near Westwood

3.2 Waveland Park 2 tracts · pop 6,019 4.2 Drake 2 tracts · pop 8,362 3.6 Frisbie Park 2 tracts · pop 9,369 2.9 Southwestern Hills 2 tracts · pop 3,019 3 Merle Hay 5 tracts · pop 20,903 3.1 Beaverdale 2 tracts · pop 6,191

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Des Moines

Same parent city, ranked by score similarity to Westwood.

2.9 Watrous Heights 1 tracts · pop 4,570 2.9 Merle Hay 5 tracts · pop 20,903 2.6 Greenwood 1 tracts · pop 2,871 3 Beaverdale 2 tracts · pop 6,191 3.1 Waveland Park 2 tracts · pop 6,019 2.4 Southwestern Hills 2 tracts · pop 3,019

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