Rent Tracker
Rent Inflation in Des Moines, IA
The average asking rent in Des Moines, IA is $1,311/month as of 2026-07. That is +2.1% compared to a year ago.
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) | zillow.com/research
Current Avg Rent
$1,311/mo
as of 2026-07
Year-over-Year Change
+2.1%
24-Month Rent Trend
Monthly ZORI index values for Des Moines, IA.
| Month | Avg Asking Rent | Change from Prior Month |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-07 | $1,311 | +0.46% |
| 2026-06 | $1,305 | +0.38% |
| 2026-05 | $1,300 | +0.46% |
| 2026-04 | $1,294 | +0.62% |
| 2026-03 | $1,286 | +0.63% |
| 2026-02 | $1,278 | +0.47% |
| 2026-01 | $1,272 | +0.16% |
| 2025-12 | $1,270 | +0.00% |
| 2025-11 | $1,270 | -0.47% |
| 2025-10 | $1,276 | -0.70% |
| 2025-09 | $1,285 | -0.16% |
| 2025-08 | $1,287 | +0.23% |
| 2025-07 | $1,284 | +0.55% |
| 2025-06 | $1,277 | +0.24% |
| 2025-05 | $1,274 | +0.47% |
| 2025-04 | $1,268 | +0.32% |
| 2025-03 | $1,264 | +0.96% |
| 2025-02 | $1,252 | +0.24% |
| 2025-01 | $1,249 | +0.00% |
| 2024-12 | $1,249 | -0.64% |
| 2024-11 | $1,257 | -0.55% |
| 2024-10 | $1,264 | -0.55% |
| 2024-09 | $1,271 | -0.24% |
| 2024-08 | $1,274 | — |
Why Rent Inflation Matters
Shelter is the single largest component of the official CPI, accounting for roughly one-third of the index. But the BLS shelter index tends to lag real-market rent changes by 12–18 months because it measures rents paid by all tenants — including long-term renters locked into old leases. ZORI measures asking rents for new leases, making it a timelier signal of where CPI shelter inflation is headed.
When ZORI is rising sharply in your city, it is a leading indicator that official shelter inflation — and therefore overall CPI — will remain elevated in coming months.
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Data Source
Rent data uses the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), a smoothed measure of typical market-rate asking rents updated monthly by Zillow Research. ZORI covers single-family homes, condos, and co-ops and reflects asking rents for new leases — making it a more timely indicator than the lagged BLS shelter index. zillow.com/research | Money & Prices