Health in Des Moines, Iowa: official figures
7.2% of residents of Des Moines (15,194 people) had no health insurance in 2020-2024, 374th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 8.4%; Iowa: 5.0%).
How many children in Des Moines are uninsured?
In Des Moines, 3.0% of children under 19 and 10.2% of adults aged 19 to 64 were uninsured in 2020-2024, against 0.4% of those 65 and over (US: 5.5%, 11.7% and 0.8%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in Des Moines are on Medicaid?
26.8% of residents of Des Moines under 65 had Medicaid or other means-tested public coverage as their only health insurance in 2020-2024, 166th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 18.1%; Iowa: 17.0%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in Des Moines have a disability?
14.3% of residents of Des Moines (30,056 people) reported a disability in 2020-2024, 238th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 13.3%; Iowa: 12.6%); 6.1% had two or more types of disability.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many older people in Des Moines have a disability?
By age, 36.1% of residents of Des Moines aged 65 and over, 13.1% of those aged 18 to 64 and 5.9% of children under 18 reported a disability in 2020-2024 (US: 32.9%, 10.9% and 4.9%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat is the obesity rate in Des Moines, Iowa?
An estimated 39.7% of adults in Des Moines had obesity in 2023, joint 126th highest of 810 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow common is diabetes in Des Moines?
An estimated 11.7% of adults in Des Moines had been told by a doctor that they have diabetes, joint 280th highest of 810 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow is mental health in Des Moines?
An estimated 19.0% of adults in Des Moines reported poor mental health on 14 or more of the past 30 days, joint 145th highest of 810 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate, and 22.0% had ever been told they have depression (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow many adults in Des Moines have high blood pressure?
In Des Moines, an estimated 32.6% of adults had high blood pressure and 28.9% did no physical activity outside work, joint 199th highest of 810 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate for physical inactivity (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow many adults in Des Moines see a doctor for a check-up?
An estimated 74.5% of adults in Des Moines had a routine check-up with a doctor in the past year, joint 393rd lowest of 810 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow Des Moines compares with other cities in the United States
Residents without health insurance (2020-2024)
Des Moines ranks 450 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents without health insurance |
|---|---|---|
| 447 | Grand Rapids | 7.2% |
| 448 | Chico | 7.2% |
| 449 | Lexington | 7.2% |
| 450 | Des Moines | 7.2% |
| 451 | Olathe | 7.2% |
| 452 | Boca Raton | 7.2% |
| 453 | Springfield | 7.2% |
Residents with a disability (2020-2024)
Des Moines ranks 238 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents with a disability |
|---|---|---|
| 235 | Brockton | 14.3% |
| 236 | Valdosta | 14.3% |
| 237 | Gastonia | 14.3% |
| 238 | Des Moines | 14.3% |
| 239 | Cincinnati | 14.3% |
| 240 | Hanford | 14.2% |
| 241 | Richmond | 14.2% |
Adults with obesity (age-adjusted model estimate) (2023)
Des Moines ranks 128 of 810, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults with obesity (age-adjusted model estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 125 | Elyria | 39.8% |
| 126 | Toledo | 39.7% |
| 127 | Baton Rouge | 39.7% |
| 128 | Des Moines | 39.7% |
| 129 | Springfield | 39.7% |
| 130 | Springdale | 39.7% |
| 131 | Baytown | 39.7% |
Adults with diagnosed diabetes (age-adjusted model estimate) (2023)
Des Moines ranks 281 of 810, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults with diagnosed diabetes (age-adjusted model estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 278 | Gallatin | 11.8% |
| 279 | Stillwater | 11.8% |
| 280 | Worcester | 11.7% |
| 281 | Des Moines | 11.7% |
| 282 | Tallahassee | 11.7% |
| 283 | Midland | 11.7% |
| 284 | Vallejo | 11.7% |
Adults who smoke cigarettes (age-adjusted model estimate) (2023)
Des Moines ranks 107 of 810, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults who smoke cigarettes (age-adjusted model estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 104 | Gallatin | 16.8% |
| 105 | Tulsa | 16.7% |
| 106 | Wichita | 16.7% |
| 107 | Des Moines | 16.7% |
| 108 | Davenport | 16.7% |
| 109 | Jonesboro | 16.7% |
| 110 | Baltimore | 16.6% |
Adults with 14+ poor mental health days a month (age-adjusted model estimate) (2023)
Des Moines ranks 146 of 810, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults with 14+ poor mental health days a month (age-adjusted model estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 143 | Turlock | 19.1% |
| 144 | Hanford | 19.1% |
| 145 | Spokane | 19.0% |
| 146 | Des Moines | 19.0% |
| 147 | Amarillo | 19.0% |
| 148 | Tuscaloosa | 19.0% |
| 149 | Hammond | 19.0% |
More on Des Moines: overview · economy and jobs · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · all cities in the United States
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table C18108: Age by Number of Disabilities (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 8116247db31952c99ba053e6b0c767675a9674703b6b32e7705f1e4952f3b426), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b8f09efa878c…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B27010: Types of Health Insurance Coverage by Age (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 2ceba99dada3ec1042310e1dc1f00bcc819de765c3143028aa000df025012a69), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3db662ef4cb3…)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: PLACES: Place Data (GIS Friendly Format), 2025 release: model-based age-adjusted prevalence among adults, for every place (data.cdc.gov API, columns used), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b2174bcc660f…)
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