Neighborhood
Downtown
Des Moines, Iowa US
Downtown, Des Moines, Iowa has an investment profile defined by an 8% premium to the city median, 23% above the state median, a gross yield of 4.8%, and a price trend down 2.3% over the past year. Walkability of 84 is a clear strength, while a Red Flag score of 77 indicates elevated overall risk. Education is in the 13th percentile, which is a low objective school-district test-score percentile.
AI Summary•Updated May 2026
Area
1.81 mi²
ZIP Code
50309
County
Polk County
State
Iowa
Redfin — median sale & volumeZillow ZORI — asking rentFEMA National Risk Index v1.20OpenStreetMap — POIFBI UCR — state crimeEPA — radon zonesWashU ACAG — satellite PM2.5EPA FRS / BTS — hazard screeningUS Census ACS / TIGER 2024
Verified Price · Median Sale
$312,107
YoY-2.3%
Gross Rental Yield
4.8%
Listed rent · ZORI annualized
Red Flag Index
High
77 / 100
Walkability Score
84
OpenStreetMap POI density · national percentile
Education Score
13 / 100
Pre-pandemic SEDA (2018/19) · district proxy
AI Score
39
DistrictScore attractiveness · national model
Downtown Property Prices & Rental Yield
Verified Redfin sale data and Zillow ZORI asking rent for Downtown, Des Moines.
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Sign in to view — freeMarket Economics Snapshot
May 2026| Metric | Value | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Median Sale Price | $312,107 | -2.3% |
| Price / Sq Ft (Verified) | $214/sqft | -5.7% |
| Asking Rent (Median) | $1,250/mo | -2.9% |
| Gross Rental Yield | 4.8% | — |
| Liquidity Score | 13 / 100 | Low |
| Homes Sold (Period) | 15 | -40.0% |
Is Downtown Safe? Natural-Hazard Risk
FEMA National Risk Index composite across eight hazards, plus inherited Iowa crime context.
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Sign in to view — free What Stands Out AI Insight
Highly walkable neighborhood — score 84/100
Dense amenities — 52 dining & 9 grocery options nearby
Flood risk is Very High (100/100)
Tornado risk is Very High (100/100)
Insights are generated from Downtown's live DistrictScore metrics.
Downtown Environment & Safety
Satellite PM2.5 air-quality history, FBI UCR crime trend (Iowa-level, the finest official aggregation), EPA radon potential and point-source hazard screening.
Air Quality — PM2.5
2015–20246.3 µg/m³ Meets EPA, above WHO guideline-10.1% since 2015
EPA 9WHO 5
20152024
Annual mean fine-particle (PM2.5) concentration at the Downtown centroid, satellite-derived (ACAG). References: WHO guideline 5 µg/m³ · EPA annual standard 9 µg/m³. Latest year ranks worse than 61% of U.S. neighborhoods.
Iowa Crime Trend
FBI UCR20132024
All crimes / 1k
Violent / 1k
| Year | Crimes / 1k | Violent / 1k | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 15.4 | 2.4 | -9.2% |
| 2023 | 17.1 | 2.7 | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 16.9 | 2.9 | -6.1% |
| 2021 | 18.0 | 3.0 | -8.9% |
| 2020 | 20.0 | 3.0 | -6.2% |
| 2019 | 21.4 | 2.9 | — |
Reported at the state level — the finest official US crime aggregation; Downtown inherits the Iowa figures.
Radon Potential
EPAZone 1
Zone 1 — Highest potential · Downtown
EPA radon zones estimate indoor radon potential county-wide (Zone 1 highest, Zone 3 lowest). Testing is recommended in all zones.
Environmental Hazards
EPA / BTSSuperfund (NPL)0.0 kmVery High
Industrial odor18 nearbyVery High
Point-source screening near Downtown: EPA Superfund National Priorities List & Facility Registry (2026), BTS aviation noise (2020, 24-hour average level). Superfund shows distance to the nearest listed site; odor shows detected sources within the screening radius. Only detected sources are listed; the bar shows severity vs. all U.S. neighborhoods.
Walkability & Amenities in Downtown
Amenity density and pedestrian access from OpenStreetMap points of interest.
Walkability & Amenities
OpenStreetMap POI84
Very Walkable
Walkability Score
9
Grocery
52
Dining
3
Schools
2
Universities
7
Hospitals
2
Pharmacies
33
Parks
2
Rail Transit
1
Coworking
POI counts are amenities within Downtown's boundary plus a 400 m walk buffer. Rail transit excludes bus stops.
Downtown vs Des Moines vs Iowa
How Downtown benchmarks against its city and state medians.
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Sign in to view — freeBuying Property in the US as a Foreigner
Federal & Iowa tax facts for non-resident buyers, plus the latest local market news.
Buying as a Foreigner
US Tax & OwnershipApplies to everyone7
Capital Gains (Federal)
Long-term capital gains taxed federally at 0/15/20%, plus a 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax on higher incomes (2026).
Property Tax
Property tax: ~1.25% average effective rate (statewide average; set and collected locally).
State Income Tax
State income tax up to 3.8%; rental income is taxed at these rates.
State Capital Gains
Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income at state rates.
Transfer Tax
Real estate transfer tax: real estate transfer tax.
Assessment Cap
No Proposition 13-style assessment cap; property is reassessed at market value.
Mansion Tax / Rent Control
No statewide mansion tax or statewide rent control.
US citizens & tax residents8
Primary-Home Exclusion
Selling your main home: exclude up to $250k of gain (single) / $500k (married) if you owned and lived there 2 of the last 5 years.
1031 Like-Kind Exchange
A 1031 like-kind exchange defers capital gains tax on investment property; 45 days to identify, 180 to close. Real estate only.
Depreciation Recapture
Residential rentals depreciate over 27.5 years; on sale, recaptured depreciation is taxed up to 25% (Section 1250).
Mortgage Interest Deduction
Mortgage interest is deductible on up to $750k of home debt. The SALT cap rose to $40,000 for 2025-2029 (reverts to $10k in 2030).
Opportunity Zones
Opportunity Zones are now permanent (2025): reinvested capital gains get deferral plus a basis step-up, and are tax-free after 10 years.
Rental Income (Resident)
Rental income is reported on Schedule E; passive-loss rules (Section 469) limit deducting rental losses against other income.
Homestead Exemption
Homestead exemption with unlimited protection from most creditors (subject to limits).
1031 State Conformity
The state conforms to the federal 1031 like-kind exchange rules.
Foreign buyers (non-residents)5
FIRPTA (Foreign Sellers)
FIRPTA: the buyer withholds 15% of the gross sale price when a nonresident sells US property. It is an advance deposit, not the final tax.
Non-Resident Capital Gains
Nonresident sellers pay US capital gains tax (generally 15-20%) on the net gain via Form 1040-NR; FIRPTA withholding is credited.
Non-Resident Rental Tax
Nonresident rental income is taxed at 30% of gross by default, or on net income at graduated rates via a Section 871(d) election (W-8ECI).
Estate Tax (Non-Resident)
Nonresidents get only a $60,000 US estate-tax exemption (vs $13.99M for residents); US property above it is taxed up to 40%. Treaties may help.
ITIN Requirement
Nonresidents without an SSN need an ITIN (Form W-7) to file US tax returns, claim FIRPTA refunds, and report rental income.
Talk to a US real-estate tax advisor
FIRPTA, ITIN & Iowa property-tax guidance for foreign buyers
Downtown Real Estate FAQ
Downtown, Des Moines, Iowa shows a mixed investment profile. Prices are 8% above the city median and 23% above the state median, gross yield is 4.8%, and prices are down 2.3% over the past year. Walkability is 84, while the Red Flag score is 77.
Neighborhoods near Downtown
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