Des Moines (French for 'Of the Monks') is the capital city of the U.S. state of Iowa. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines, until it was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857. It is also the county seat of Polk County. The Des Moines metropolitan area consists of five central Iowa counties: Polk, Dallas, Warren, Madison, and Guthrie.
Des Moines' suburbs include Altoona, Ankeny, Bondurant, Carlisle, Clive, Grimes, Johnston, Norwalk, Pleasant Hill, Polk City, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines and Windsor Heights.
Des Moines is located in the south central part of the state. The Des Moines River and the Raccoon River meet just south of the downtown and serve as the city's primary water supply.
Many insurance companies are headquartered in Des Moines, including the Principal Financial Group, Equitable of Iowa, Allied Insurance, ARAG Legal Insurance, and American Republic Insurance Company. Long known as the "Hartford of the West," Des Moines replaced Hartford, Connecticut, as the number one city for insurance in the United States in 2004. As a center of financial and insurance services, the metro area appears to be well poised for continued growth
As Iowa's capital city, Des Moines is a hub of government action, business activity, arts and cultural affairs. Des Moines offers some of the nation's best schools, superb public services, and friendly, caring neighborhoods.
Housing Cost
Affordable housing, one of the nation's shortest commute times, and an increasingly diverse population, make Des Moines a wonderful place to live, work and visit.
Estimated median house/condo value in 2005: $106,300
Demographics
Estimated population in July 2006: 193,886. Des Moines covers 75.8 square miles. It sits at an elevation of 864 feet above sea level
Area code: 515
Weather
Des Moines, IA climate is warm during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 70's and very cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 20's.
The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 86.00 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 11.70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperature variations between night and day tend to be moderate during summer with a difference that can reach 20 degrees Fahrenheit, and fairly limited during winter with an average difference of 18 degrees Fahrenheit.
The annual average precipitation at Des Moines is 34.72 Inches. Rainfall in is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is June with an average rainfall of 4.57 Inches.
Information provided by idcide.com and city data.com
