Cheap Apartments for Rent in the Merle Hay Neighborhood of Des Moines, IA from $500 (49 Rentals)

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Search the lowest-cost Apartments available for rent right now in the Merle Hay area of Des Moines.

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Uplift Manor
1 Bedroom Apartments

Uplift Manor

2916 30th StDes Moines, IA 50310
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3809 University Ave
Studio Apartments

3809 University Ave

3809 University AveDes Moines, IA 50311
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Drake Collection
1 Bedroom Apartments

Drake Collection

2931 Cottage Grove AveDes Moines, IA 50311
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Oakview Terrace
Studio to 2 Bedroom Apartments

Oakview Terrace

2901-2907 Boston AveDes Moines, IA 50310
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Hickman House
1 to 2 Bedroom Apartments

Hickman House

2221 63rd StDes Moines, IA 50322
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Roosevelt Manor
2 Bedroom Apartments

Roosevelt Manor

4223 Chamberlain DrDes Moines, IA 50312
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Silhouette Apartments
1 to 2 Bedroom Apartments

Silhouette Apartments

3720 57th StDes Moines, IA 50310
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4010 University
2 Bedroom Apartments

4010 University

4010 UniversityDes Moines, IA 50311
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4314 University Ave
1 Bedroom Apartments

4314 University Ave

4314 University AveDes Moines, IA 50311
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University Park Place
2 Bedroom Apartments

University Park Place

3725-3727 University AveDes Moines, IA 50311
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Westridge Apartments
Studio to 3 Bedroom Apartments

Westridge Apartments

8330 Harbach BlvdClive, IA 50325
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Executive Heights
1 to 2 Bedroom Apartments

Executive Heights

8355 Alice AveClive, IA 50325
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Capri Apartments
1 to 2 Bedroom Apartments

Capri Apartments

8465 Clark StClive, IA 50325
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West Winds Apartments
1 to 2 Bedroom Apartments

West Winds Apartments

8190 Harbach BlvdClive, IA 50325
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2170 NW 82nd St
2 Bedroom Apartments

2170 NW 82nd St

2170 NW 82nd StClive, IA 50325
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Showing Results 1-49, Page 1 of 1

Merle Hay, Des Moines, IA Local Guide

Cheapest Available Merle Hay Apartments for Rent

 

The cheapest available apartment rental in the Merle Hay area of Des Moines, IA is a 1 Bed unit found at Plaza Manor priced from $675. The Drake has the second lowest priced unit, which is a 1 Bed apartment currently listed from $680. Here are the most affordable Merle Hay apartments for rent in Des Moines, IA:

Apartment ListingModel NameBed/BathPriced From
Plaza ManorCedar1BR,1BA$675
The DrakeB31BR,1BA$680
Welcome to 2800 30th St.1BR/1.0BA1BR,1BA$695
3309 University Ave0BR/1.0BAStudio,1BA$700
Beaverdale Housing LLCStudioStudio,1BA$710
Oakview TerraceStudioStudio,1BA$710
Westpointe ApartmentsWashingtonStudio,1BA$745
The Village at WestchesterBuchanan II2BR,1BA$775
The Birch (Douglas Terrace)Elevated 2 Bed2BR,1BA$777
Robin Hill1 Bed 1 Bath1BR,1BA$795

Best Value Apartments for Rent in Merle Hay, IA

As of March 28, 2025 the best value apartment in the Merle Hay area is the $1.13 price per square foot 4711 Valdez Dr Model at 4711 Valdez Dr, Unit 4711 in the in the Merle Hay neighborhood starting from $1,150. The second greatest value Merle Hay apartment is the Two Bedroom B Model at Westchester Square starting at $940 with a $0.96 price per square foot in the Merle Hay neighborhood. Here is today’s list of the best values for Merle Hay apartments based on price per square foot:

Apartment ListingModel NameBed/BathPrice Per Sq.Ft.
4711 Valdez Dr, Unit 47114711 Valdez Dr2BR,1BA$1.13
Westchester SquareTwo Bedroom B2BR,2BA$0.96
7815 Douglas Ave, Unit 1027815 Douglas Ave2BR,1.5BA$1.10
Bexley Urbandale2 Bedroom Renovated2BR,1BA$1.15
The Birch (Douglas Terrace)Elevated 2 Bed2BR,1BA$0.91
Crest Manor1 Bedroom2BR,1BA$1.05
Park West2 Bedroom 1 Bathroom2BR,1BA$1.21
Urban Green Apartments1 BR Oak1BR,1BA$1.15
The Village at WestchesterBedford2BR,1BA$1.04
Welcome to 2800 30th St.1BR/1.0BA1BR,1BA$1.07

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Pet Friendly Lifestyle
Merle Hay, Des Moines, IA

Ranked #60

Among neighborhoods in Des Moines, IA for Apartment listings with Pet Friendly Amenities

Pet Friendliness Lifestyle Score

4.0
Pet Friendly

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Best Local Schools in
Merle Hay, Des Moines, IA

School data provided by Great Schools

Best Local Schools in
Merle Hay, Des Moines, IA

School data provided by Great Schools

Lifestyle Ratings

ApartmentHomeLiving brings you comprehensive Lifestyle Ratings of rentals in cities and towns across the United States, including Des Moines. LifeStyle Ratings are a useful tool for comparing and sorting apartments and neighborhoods when choosing your rental home. This takes in many factors including searching for the best amenities, and convenient access to the outdoors, kid and pet-friendly communities, availability of transit options, and how walkable or bikeable each community and area is. These search options are in the site filters at the top of this page.

Getting Around the Merle Hay Neighborhood in Des Moines, IA

Walk Score®

76 / 100

Very Walkable

Most errands can be accomplished on foot

Bike Score®

51 / 100

Bikeable

Some 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 Merle Hay Apartments

What is a cheap apartment in Merle Hay?

A cheap apartment is any apartment up to the 30% percentile of cost for the area, which in Merle Hay is under $795.

What is the price of a cheap apartment in Merle Hay?

The cheapest apartment in Merle Hay is Plaza Manor which is listed at $675, while the average apartment in Merle Hay costs $1,510.

What types of apartments are the cheapest in Merle Hay?

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 9 regular apartments in Merle Hay 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 Merle Hay?

Cheap apartments in Merle Hay have an average cost of $201 which is $1,309 cheaper than the average rent for all rentals in Merle Hay.

Expert Rental Resources

Helpful Apartment Articles, How-To's and Tips

The rental experts at ApartmentHomeLiving.com provide you with top advice, tools, and tips for understanding the leasing process and finding the perfect rental. Here are a few helpful rental and leasing articles from our experts to guide you on your search.

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Understanding Amenity Fees: Know Where You Might Be Able to Save Money

Written by: Amber Kanuckel

With the rising costs of housing, a lot of renters are asking this question: Is it possible to opt out of various amenities that your rental property offers so that you can avoid paying the fees.

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Renting Smart: Lease Basics Every Renter Needs

Written by: Christine Leonard, Esq.

Often, in the excitement of finding a new place to live, there’s a rush to make it happen, and - too often - a new tenant signs a lease without reading it carefully.

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Battling the Butts: Your Guide to the Reality of Smoke-Free Renting

Written by: Andrea Lee Negroni, JD

While many apartment buildings are “no smoking” properties, it’s hard to know exactly how many. In 2017, the National Apartment Association reported more than half of rental properties had smoke free policies.

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How Your Move-In Inspection Can Protect Your Security Deposit

Written by: Christine Leonard, Esq.

If you’re anything like most people, housing costs represent a huge chunk of your monthly budget. On top of that, moving can be both a stressful and expensive affair.