West Des Moines, IA has safety grade D, a population of about 66,724, an overall crime rate near 1,135 per 100k as of 2026. For real estate investors, safety is only half the picture: pair these crime statistics with rental demand and returns to judge whether West Des Moines, IA is a sound place to buy. See the investment overview for West Des Moines, IA for median prices, rental yield and Pulse Score, or run the numbers in the ROI analyzer.
West Des Moines, IA Crime Rate and Safety Report
West Des Moines, IA crime snapshot: safety grade D, violent crime rate 2.00 per 1,000 residents, property crime rate 8.00 per 1,000 residents. Compare nearby zip codes, hotspots, and safety recommendations below.
Safety Score
D
High Risk
Violent Crime Rate
2.00
per 1000 residents
Safety Analysis & Recommendations
View DetailsOverall Assessment
The area has very low safety standards with a D+ rating. Residents should be aware of their surroundings and take appropriate precautions.
Safety Recommendations
With property crimes being more prevalent (73.4% of total incidents), residents should secure their homes and vehicles, install security systems, and maintain good lighting around their properties.
Trend Analysis
With 757 total incidents, West Des Moines shows moderate crime activity. The primary concern is property crime.
Comparison Insights
West Des Moines demonstrates crime rates well below national averages, showcasing effective community safety initiatives.
West Des Moines, IA Crime Analysis
Based on the provided crime data for the area represented by GEOID 16000US1983910, a total of 757 crimes were recorded. Property crime constitutes the vast majority, accounting for 556 incidents. Within property crime, larceny/theft offenses are the most prevalent, with 501 incidents, followed by destruction/damage/vandalism of property (22 incidents), motor vehicle theft (18 incidents), burglary/breaking & entering (12 incidents), and stolen property offenses (3 incidents). Assault is the second most frequent crime category, with 155 incidents. The "others" category accounts for 34 incidents, comprising fraud offenses (15 incidents), counterfeiting/forgery (11 incidents), embezzlement (6 incidents), and arson (2 incidents). Robbery is relatively low, with 7 incidents. Sex offenses are also low, with 4 incidents, further broken down into sex offenses (3 incidents) and kidnapping/abduction (1 incident). Homicide is the least frequent, with only 1 incident.
West Des Moines, IA crime map
Crime Map
Green markers indicate safer areas, red markers indicate high crime areas. Blue markers show the currently selected zip code.
Safest Zip Codes
High Crime Zip Codes
50038
0
Safety13.7
Per 1K14
Total Crimes50061
4
Safety9.6
Per 1K10
Total Crimes50261
28
Safety7.2
Per 1K7
Total CrimesRelated analysis for West Des Moines, IA
Explore related real estate, safety, and education data for West Des Moines, IA.
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Browse data for nearby cities and zip codes.
Nearby zip codes
FAQ about crime in West Des Moines, IA
Crime rates are normalized per 1,000 residents based on reported incidents in FBI UCR and local agency feeds. We split incidents into violent, property, and other categories so you can see where the risk concentrates.
The “Safest Zip Codes” section above ranks nearby zip codes by safety score, while the “High Crime Zip Codes” section highlights areas with elevated reported crime in West Des Moines, IA.
Crime data is refreshed on a rolling basis as updated reports are published by the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer and partnering agencies.
Combine this crime report with the market overview for West Des Moines, IA and the school report linked in the “Related analysis” section to assess both safety and investment fundamentals.
Data sources & further reading
PulseReal’s analysis is built on top of these public, authoritative datasets.
Official UCR crime statistics by state and agency from the FBI.
Population, demographics, housing, and income data from the US Census Bureau.
Encyclopedic overview of the city, history, and notable landmarks.
Housing affordability, fair-market rents, and market reports from HUD.
Local unemployment and employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Bureau of Justice Statistics publications on US crime victimization.
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