West Des Moines Apartments and Rentals

West Des Moines apartments for rent could be the perfect way to experience this up-and-coming Iowa city. West Des Moines provides residents with a continental climate that provides the best of every season.

West Des Moines encompasses roughly 38.5 square miles of land and sits at the convenient crossroads of interstates 35 and 80. Not only do residents have these convenient highways at their doorsteps, but the Des Moines International Airport is also located nearby and serves both the Greater Des Moines Metropolitan Area and all of central Iowa.

The City of West Des Moines, Iowa, was officially incorporated in 1893 and has since grown considerably from a railroad town of 500 people to an estimated 57,909 people as of July 2011, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The city was originally known as Valley Junction until 1938 when the community decided to adopt a new name in an effort to give the city a suburban image and aide progress.

Noted as one of the fasted growing communities in the state of Iowa, West Des Moines apartments are popular choices for people from all backgrounds looking for a city with strong historical roots and an eye on the future.

Apartments near West Des Moines can be ideal for many of the business professionals operating in and around the city. According to City-Data information, the most common occupations in the city are computer specialists and sales-related workers and specialists. The top industry from 2005-2009 is reported to have been the finance and insurance industry, followed by retail trade.

The U.S. Census Bureau figures show that as of 2010, a little less than half of the employed population work in the area of management, business, science and arts; and the educational services, health care and social assistance industry continues to be a strong force in the West Des Moines economy.

The city of West Des Moines is home to only two higher education facilities, which include Upper Iowa Center and William Penn University. However, there are nearly 20 schools that are located nearby at less than a half hour drive from the city, making apartments near West Des Moines an attractive option for many students. Some of the largely popular nearby schools include Drake University, Iowa State University, and Des Moines Community College.

According to data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau, West Des Moines apartments have a rental vacancy rate of 9.9 percent and the median rent in 2010 was roughly $800. The range for gross rental costs is reported to have roughly 40 percent of all renters sitting in the $750 to $999 range, with more than 90 percent of renters falling in the $500 to $1,499 range.

Information taken from City-Data detailed that the cost of living in West Des Moines in March 2012 was assigned a value of 92.9 points, which is roughly 7 points below the national average of 100.

One of the top attractions to West Des Moines is the city's parks system, which stretches over more than 1,200 acres of park land and open spaces. One of the oldest and most beautiful parks in the area is the American Legion Park, and Raccoon River Park has been described as the "crown jewel" of the parks system. Raccoon River Park encompasses more than 632 acres of parkland that are used for hiking, biking and countless other recreational activities.

Apartments near West Des Moines also put all the area events at your disposal. The area's biggest event is known as the A-May-Zing Days which takes place throughout the entire month of May and has been held annually since 2008. The month-long celebration is made up of other events that are local favorites, including the Festivale Cinco de Mayo, Learnapalooza and Illumifest. The event hosts more than 100 vendors for weekly Farmer's Markets, and Music in the Junction draws an estimated 3,000 people each week for free music of popular local bands and a beverage garden.

If you are looking for an apartment for rent or a house rental in West Des Moines, Iowa, search for rental properties at Rent.com®.