Cheap Apartments for Rent in the Merle Hay Neighborhood of Des Moines, IA from $500 (53 Rentals)

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

Smart Renter's Guide: Calculating Affordable Rent & Housing Costs

Wondering how to determine your rental budget? This comprehensive guide covers everything from the 30% rule to hidden fees and effective budgeting strategies.

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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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Navigating the Rental Market: Tips for First-Time Renters

Entering the rental market? Learn these simple tips and strategies to avoid common pitfalls and make confident choices. Rent with peace of mind.

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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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4010 University
2 Bedroom Apartments

4010 University

4010 UniversityDes Moines, IA 50311
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Know Your Rights - How Discrimination Laws Impact Landlords and Tenants

Read our practical guide to landlord and tenant rights. Understand protected classes, reasonable accommodations, and legal exceptions to prevent housing discrimination.

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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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Showing Results 1-50, Page 1 of 2

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 Studio unit found at Urban Heights priced from $625. Legacy Apartments has the second lowest priced unit, which is a 1 Bed apartment currently listed from $650. Here are the most affordable Merle Hay apartments for rent in Des Moines, IA:

Apartment ListingModel NameBed/BathPriced From
Urban Heights0BR/1.0BAStudio,1BA$625
Legacy Apartments1BR/1.0BA1BR,1BA$650
The Eddy0BR/1.0BAStudio,1BA$650
The View on Douglas0BR/1.0BAStudio,1BA$650
Plaza ManorAspen1BR,1BA$652
The Village at WestchesterBedford II2BR,1BA$697
Beaverdale Housing LLCStudioStudio,1BA$710
Oakview TerraceStudioStudio,1BA$710
The View On Hickman0BR/1.0BAStudio,1BA$725
The Drake1 Bedroom 1 Bathroom1BR,1BA$730

Best Value Apartments for Rent in Merle Hay, IA

As of May 12, 2025 the best value apartment in the Merle Hay area is the $1.04 price per square foot 7815 Douglas Ave Model at 7815 Douglas Ave, Unit 102 in the in the Merle Hay neighborhood starting from $995. The second greatest value Merle Hay apartment is the 2 Bedroom Renovated Model at Bexley Urbandale starting at $975 with a $1.15 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.
7815 Douglas Ave, Unit 1027815 Douglas Ave2BR,1.5BA$1.04
Bexley Urbandale2 Bedroom Renovated2BR,1BA$1.15
The Birch (Douglas Terrace)Classic 2-Bed2BR,1BA$0.94
Crest Manor1 Bedroom2BR,1BA$1.05
Elm Village Apartments2 BDRM2BR,1BA$1.08
Park West Apartments2 Bedroom 1 Bathroom2BR,1BA$1.12
Legacy Apartments2BR/1.0BA2BR,1BA$1.00
Urban Green Apartments1 BR Oak1BR,1BA$1.15
The Village at WestchesterBedford2BR,1BA$0.95
The View On Hickman0BR/1.0BAStudio ,1BA$1.04

Quick Rent Budget Calculator

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Pet Friendly Lifestyle
Merle Hay, Des Moines, IA

Ranked #77

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

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 $730.

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

The cheapest apartment in Merle Hay is Legacy Apartments which is listed at $650, while the average apartment in Merle Hay costs $1,420.

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 12 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 $131 which is $1,289 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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Know Your Budget: Calculating What You Can Realistically Afford When Renting

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Renting an apartment or house isn’t just about looking through online ads, choosing a few apartments or homes you want to tour, filling out an application, and putting down a deposit. Those things are all necessary and important.

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The Freedom of Short-Term Leases: Exploring the Advantages for Renters

Written by: Bobbi Jackson

If you’re looking to relocate right now, a popular solution that may best fit your current rental needs is a short-term lease.

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Navigating the Rental Market: Tips for First-Time Renters

Written by: Sandy Baker

Making the decision to rent is exciting and terrifying at the same time. For many people, there are a lot of unknowns.

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Rise of Digital Nomads: Remote Work Tips for Apartment Renters

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As a digital nomad, you no longer call a set address or office building your home for eight hours of the day or more.