Des Moines, IA vs West Des Moines, IA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
West Des Moines, IA outspends Des Moines, IA by a wide margin per resident — $14,779 versus $1,302, a 1036% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Des Moines, IA edges West Des Moines, IA on the Fiscal Health Score by 2 points — 55/100 (grade C) to 53/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Des Moines, IA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while West Des Moines, IA carries $2,050 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Des Moines, IA leads with police at $134 per resident, while West Des Moines, IA leads with parks and recreation at $1,257.
Summary
West Des Moines spends 91.2% more per capita than Des Moines ($13,478/person difference). Des Moines, IA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 55/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $24 |
| Sales Tax | $8 | $677 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $355 |
| Intergovernmental | $0 | $16,920 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $2,669 |
| Other | $38 | $3,239 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $134 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $55 | $240 |
| Highways & Roads | $3 | $49 |
| Education | $1 | $3 |
| Public Welfare | $388 | $1,500 |
| Health | $8 | $615 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $290 |
| Parks & Recreation | $0 | $1,257 |
| Housing | $164 | $2,213 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $194 |
| Utilities | $0 | $669 |
| Interest on Debt | $1 | $0 |
| Other | $547 | $7,750 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.