Cheap Apartments for Rent in Des Moines, IA from $500 (431 Rentals)

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Search the lowest-cost Apartments available for rent right now in Des Moines.

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Des Moines, IA Local Guide

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Written By:
Justin Habersaat
Editing Staff

Cheapest Neighborhoods for Apartments in Des Moines, IA

Pricing Updated: 03/26/2025

Current apartment rentals in the Des Moines, IA area range in price from $550 to $4,772 with an overall median price of $1,596. The three Des Moines neighborhoods with the lowest median rent pricing are Somerset at $685, Southridge at $685, and Fort Des Moines at $685. Here is today’s list of the top 10 neighborhoods with the lowest median pricing for Des Moines Apartments for rent:

NeighborhoodMedian PriceMin PriceAvailable Units
Somerset$1,087$6856673
Southridge$1,100$6856838
Fort Des Moines$1,112$6858050
Bethany Heights$1,120$6802936
Jordan Park$1,125$7005376
Linden Heights$1,125$5503749
Golf & Country Club$1,140$7951571
Nuttall Acres$1,140$7401536
Windsor Heights$1,145$7451470
Colby Woods$1,145$6811553

Cheapest Available Des Moines Apartments for Rent

 

The cheapest available apartment rental in Des Moines, IA is a 2 Beds unit found at Campus View Student Housing in the Springwood neighborhood priced from $500. Johnston Crossing Senior Apartments I in the Green Meadows West neighborhood has the second lowest priced unit, which is a 1 Bed apartment currently listed from $548. Here is today’s list of the most affordable Des Moines apartments for rent:

Apartment ListingModel NameBed/BathPriced From
Campus View Student Housing2 Bed / 2 Bath2BR,2BA$500
Johnston Crossing Senior Apartments I1 Bedroom1BR,1BA$548
Stockbridge Apartments1x1 670-7001BR,1BA$565
Highland Park Apartments (DSM)StudioStudio,1BA$575
Village GreenStudioStudio,1BA$600
Ingersoll Park Studios0BR/1.0BAStudio,1BA$625
Concord ApartmentsStudio 5Studio,1BA$625
Prairie Pointe Student Living4 Bdrm Flat4BR,4BA$630
Lenox PropertiesDrake1BR,1BA$675
The DrakeB31BR,1BA$680

Best Value Apartments for Rent in Des Moines, IA

As of March 26, 2025 the best value apartment in the Des Moines area is the $0.50 price per square foot 3 Bdrm Townhome Model at Prairie Pointe Student Living in the in the Springwood neighborhood starting from $660. The second greatest value Des Moines apartment is the 935 E 7th St Model at 935 E 7th St, Unit 935 E 7th street Apt 2 starting at $950 with a $0.79 price per square foot in the Grandview College Area neighborhood. Here is today’s list of the best values for Des Moines apartments based on price per square foot:

Apartment ListingModel NameBed/BathPrice Per Sq.Ft.
Prairie Pointe Student Living3 Bdrm Townhome3BR,3BA$0.50
935 E 7th St, Unit 935 E 7th street Apt 2935 E 7th St2BR,1BA$0.79
Grand Homes (55+ Community)2 Bedroom/ 2 Bath2BR,2BA$0.90
Magnolia Manor Apartments and Townhomes2 Bedroom2BR,1BA$0.89
The Meadows2 Bedroom2BR,1BA$0.91
Northtown Apartments2 Bedroom 1 Bathroom2BR,1BA$0.90
The Birch (Douglas Terrace)Elevated 2 Bed2BR,1BA$0.91
Campus View Student Housing2 Bed / 2 Bath2BR,2BA$0.67
Stockbridge Apartments1x1 670-7001BR,1BA$0.81
Johnston Crossing Senior Apartments I1 Bedroom1BR,1BA$0.80

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Des Moines Overview

It’s likely that you only really hear about Des Moines every four years when the presidential caucuses kick off in this city. But that’s only part of the great culture and history of Des Moines. It’s over 150 years old and in that time has grown to be a Midwestern hub of culture and commerce. If you’re in the insurance industry, Des Moines is the absolute best place to live as it is the home of several large insurance companies. Des Moines isn’t just for insurance people, though, it’s a city that keeps growing, and it’s even been attracting more and more young people. If you’re looking for apartments in Des Moines, this must be an exciting time in your life because Des Moines is a great (not to mention inexpensive) place to live.

Why live in Des Moines, IA?

Des Moines is a constantly underrated city. It’s not the most talked about city, but it sure has a lot going on! It’s the home of several professional minor league sports teams, including the Des Moines Buccaneers of the United States Hockey League. Des Moines is also a smart city. It has an impressive public school system and houses five colleges and universities. Iowa’s work force, including that of Des Moines, ranks as one of the best educated in the country due to its 80% high school graduation rate. Des Moines’ real claim to fame is its importance in the presidential election, many candidates set up campaign offices here due to its position as the site of the first caucuses.

Des Moines, IA
Population: 216,853

Ranked #101

in US Census Population by City

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Remember the 3 Rules of Real Estate:
Location, Location, Location!

Explore Des Moines, IA Rentals by Map

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See the most popular apartments and homes in Des Moines, IA

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Getting Around Des Moines, IA

Walk Score®

53 / 100

Somewhat Walkable

Some errands can be accomplished on foot

Bike Score®

45 / 100

Somewhat Bikeable

Minimal bike infrastructure

Transit Score®

31 / 100

Some Transit

A few nearby public transportation options

What Are Walk Score®, Transit Score®, and Bike Score® Ratings?

  • Walk Score® measures the walkability of any address.
  • Transit Score® measures access to public transit.
  • Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cheap Des Moines Apartments

What is a cheap apartment in Des Moines?

A cheap apartment is any apartment up to the 30% percentile of cost for the area, which in Des Moines is under $680.

What is the price of a cheap apartment in Des Moines?

The cheapest apartment in Des Moines is Johnston Crossing Senior Apartments I which is listed at $548, while the average apartment in Des Moines costs $1,596.

What types of apartments are the cheapest in Des Moines?

Student, low-income, and by-the-bed apartments are typically the cheapest rentals in most cities, though they require qualifying criteria to rent. There are 93,747 regular apartments in Des Moines that we think qualify as ‘cheap apartments’ that do not have special requirements to apply to rent.

How do the prices of cheap apartments compare to the average apartment in Des Moines?

Cheap apartments in Des Moines have an average cost of $380 which is $1,216 cheaper than the average rent for all rentals in Des Moines.

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