Census tract · Polk County
Census Tract 12, Polk County, Iowa
Census Tract 12, GEOID 19153001200, in Polk County, Iowa, entirely within Des Moines. 3,130 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±715); the 2020 Census counted 3,494.
Residents, 2020-2024
3,130
±715 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 3,494
Median household income
$48,188
±$20,569 (90% margin)
Polk County: $83,576
Median home value
$142,700
±$19,632 (90% margin)
Polk County: $262,100
Median gross rent
$1,196
±$379 (90% margin)
Polk County: $1,149
Where is Census Tract 12?
Census Tract 12 is one of 112 census tracts in Polk County, Iowa. It covers 0.54 square miles of land, 6,423 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 19153001200, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Des Moines | 100% |
4 census tracts border Census Tract 12: Tract 7.01 ($63,250), Tract 11 ($40,291), Tract 26 ($40,893) and Tract 50 ($46,583). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 12?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 12's population at 3,130 (±715) in 1,208 households; the 2020 Census counted 3,494 residents and 1,222 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 12 | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,130 ±715 | 212,421 |
| Households | 1,208 ±173 | 90,105 |
| Average household size | 2.57 ±0.47 | 2.30 |
| Housing units | 1,277 ±162 | 97,604 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 12?
The median resident of Census Tract 12 is 33.6 years old; 32.0% are under 18 and 6.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 35.3%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 28.9%. 22.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 12 | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.6 ±6.9 | 34.6 |
| Under 18 years | 32.0% ±6.2 pts | 23.2% |
| 65 years and over | 6.9% ±3.3 pts | 12.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 28.9% ±17.0 pts | 16.3% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 18.1% ±7.4 pts | 61.0% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 35.3% ±12.9 pts | 11.1% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 15.8% ±7.2 pts | 6.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.1% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.9% ±2.2 pts | 4.5% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.4% |
| Born outside the United States | 22.1% ±5.3 pts | 14.2% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 41.0% ±13.9 pts | 21.9% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.3% ±4.3 pts | 5.0% |
| With a disability | 16.7% ±6.1 pts | 14.3% |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.2% ±4.7 pts | 7.2% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 71.3% ±10.4 pts | 87.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 13.5% ±6.9 pts | 29.7% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.4% ±2.9 pts | 9.3% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.0% ±7.2 pts | 84.3% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Census Tract 12 earn?
Half of the 1,208 households in Census Tract 12 earn less than $48,188 a year (±$20,569), against $83,576 across Polk County: 103rd highest of the county's 109 tracts with a reliable estimate. 37.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 12 | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $48,188 ±$20,569 | $65,932 |
| Mean household income | $62,180 ±$10,164 | $86,645 |
| Per capita income | $23,866 ±$4,588 | $37,863 |
| People below the poverty line | 37.2% ±14.0 pts | 15.0% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 52.7% ±21.2 pts | 22.1% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 19.5% ±10.2 pts | 15.8% |
| Households with a computer | 96.1% ±3.8 pts | 96.0% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.2% ±5.6 pts | 89.8% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Census Tract 12?
Owners occupy 72.4% of Census Tract 12's occupied homes and renters 27.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $142,700 by its owner (±$19,632). The median renter pays $1,196 a month including utilities, and 84.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 12 | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $142,700 ±$19,632 | $194,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,196 ±$379 | $1,090 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 84.7% ±15.9 pts | 37.3% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,211 ±$131 | $1,485 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 72.4% ±10.4 pts | 60.5% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 27.6% ±10.4 pts | 39.5% |
| Housing units | 1,277 ±162 | 97,604 |
| Single-family detached homes | 81.4% ±10.4 pts | 61.6% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 2.6% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 0.9% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.9% ±4.5 pts | 8.3% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 52.4% ±10.9 pts | 26.7% |
| Households with no vehicle | 14.7% ±8.1 pts | 9.0% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Census Tract 12 get to work?
70.3% of Census Tract 12's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 14.3 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 12 | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 73.4% ±7.5 pts | 71.1% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% ±4.8 pts | 5.6% |
| Drove alone to work | 70.3% ±11.8 pts | 70.9% |
| Carpooled | 19.1% ±9.4 pts | 11.0% |
| Public transportation | 0.7% ±1.6 pts | 0.8% |
| Walked | 1.8% ±3.3 pts | 2.4% |
| Worked from home | 8.1% ±5.5 pts | 13.1% |
| Mean travel time to work | 14.3 min ±2.0 | 19.5 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does Census Tract 12 compare with the other tracts in Polk County?
Among Polk County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 12 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Polk County | In Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 88th of 111 | 39th of 59 |
| Residents per square mile | 4th of 112 | 4th of 60 |
| Median household income | 103rd of 109 | 52nd of 58 |
| Per capita income | 106th of 111 | 54th of 59 |
| Median home value | 104th of 109 | 52nd of 57 |
| Median gross rent | 40th of 107 | 16th of 59 |
| Poverty rate | 1st of 68 | 1st of 43 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 100th of 111 | 47th of 59 |
| Median age | 83rd of 111 | 41st of 59 |
| Owner-occupied share | 52nd of 111 | 23rd of 59 |
The tracts next to it on Polk County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 112.05 | 100th | $50,158±$11,896 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 5 | 101st | $49,706±$12,483 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 27 | 102nd | $49,112±$13,112 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 12 | 103rd | $48,188±$20,569 |
| Tract 50 | 104th | $46,583±$19,028 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 48 | 105th | $44,446±$15,237 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 47.02 | 106th | $42,862±$10,657 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 12?
1 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 12 on this page carries a coefficient of variation over 40% and is marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections