Census tract · Polk County
Census Tract 15, Polk County, Iowa
Census Tract 15, GEOID 19153001500, in Polk County, Iowa, entirely within Des Moines. 2,957 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±344); the 2020 Census counted 2,865.
Residents, 2020-2024
2,957
±344 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 2,865
Median household income
$70,379
±$5,687 (90% margin)
Polk County: $83,576
Median home value
$157,500
±$8,547 (90% margin)
Polk County: $262,100
Median gross rent
$1,652
±$100 (90% margin)
Polk County: $1,149
Where is Census Tract 15?
Census Tract 15 is one of 112 census tracts in Polk County, Iowa. It covers 0.69 square miles of land, 4,128 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 19153001500, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Des Moines | 100% |
5 census tracts border Census Tract 15: Tract 3 ($50,873), Tract 5 ($49,706), Tract 6 ($67,237), Tract 48 ($44,446) and Tract 49. 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 15?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 15's population at 2,957 (±344) in 1,027 households; the 2020 Census counted 2,865 residents and 1,076 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 15 | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,957 ±344 | 212,421 |
| Households | 1,027 ±91 | 90,105 |
| Average household size | 2.82 ±0.23 | 2.30 |
| Housing units | 1,061 ±83 | 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 15?
The median resident of Census Tract 15 is 36.7 years old; 22.0% are under 18 and 12.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 66.9%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 14.3%. 14.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 15 | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.7 ±7.7 | 34.6 |
| Under 18 years | 22.0% ±4.0 pts | 23.2% |
| 65 years and over | 12.9% ±2.6 pts | 12.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.2% ±4.7 pts | 16.3% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 66.9% ±9.5 pts | 61.0% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 14.3% ±8.1 pts | 11.1% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 7.4% ±5.6 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 | 5.3% ±4.7 pts | 4.5% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.4% |
| Born outside the United States | 14.9% ±7.8 pts | 14.2% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 20.5% ±9.5 pts | 21.9% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.6% ±2.0 pts | 5.0% |
| With a disability | 16.7% ±8.4 pts | 14.3% |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.8% ±2.5 pts | 7.2% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 77.1% ±8.2 pts | 87.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 20.6% ±8.5 pts | 29.7% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.7% ±4.2 pts | 9.3% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.9% ±4.9 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 15 earn?
Half of the 1,027 households in Census Tract 15 earn less than $70,379 a year (±$5,687), against $83,576 across Polk County: 67th highest of the county's 109 tracts with a reliable estimate. 13.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 15 | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $70,379 ±$5,687 | $65,932 |
| Mean household income | $87,340 ±$13,468 | $86,645 |
| Per capita income | $31,234 ±$5,331 | $37,863 |
| People below the poverty line | 13.7% ±7.8 pts | 15.0% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 4.3% ±4.3 pts | 22.1% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 5.3% ±3.7 pts | 15.8% |
| Households with a computer | 98.0% ±2.4 pts | 96.0% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 90.0% ±6.8 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 15?
Owners occupy 82.7% of Census Tract 15's occupied homes and renters 17.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $157,500 by its owner (±$8,547). The median renter pays $1,652 a month including utilities, and 46.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 15 | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $157,500 ±$8,547 | $194,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,652 ±$100 | $1,090 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 46.1% ±24.7 pts | 37.3% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,232 ±$101 | $1,485 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 82.7% ±8.8 pts | 60.5% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 17.3% ±8.8 pts | 39.5% |
| Housing units | 1,061 ±83 | 97,604 |
| Single-family detached homes | 97.0% ±2.8 pts | 61.6% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 2.6% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.9% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.7% ±2.7 pts | 8.3% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 75.1% ±7.9 pts | 26.7% |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.0% ±2.4 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 15 get to work?
58.9% of Census Tract 15's workers drive alone and 25.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 15.8 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 15 | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 64.0% ±9.4 pts | 71.1% |
| Unemployment rate | 0.9% ±1.1 pts | 5.6% |
| Drove alone to work | 58.9% ±12.7 pts | 70.9% |
| Carpooled | 13.8% ±6.8 pts | 11.0% |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.8% |
| Walked | 0.8% ±0.9 pts | 2.4% |
| Worked from home | 25.6% ±12.5 pts | 13.1% |
| Mean travel time to work | 15.8 min ±1.7 | 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 15 compare with the other tracts in Polk County?
Among Polk County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 15 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Polk County | In Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 92nd of 111 | 42nd of 59 |
| Residents per square mile | 32nd of 112 | 25th of 60 |
| Median household income | 67th of 109 | 22nd of 58 |
| Per capita income | 86th of 111 | 36th of 59 |
| Median home value | 95th of 109 | 43rd of 57 |
| Median gross rent | 3rd of 107 | 1st of 59 |
| Poverty rate | 30th of 68 | 29th of 43 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 83rd of 111 | 32nd of 59 |
| Median age | 57th of 111 | 26th of 59 |
| Owner-occupied share | 28th of 111 | 10th of 59 |
The tracts next to it on Polk County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 107.03 | 64th | $73,438±$14,938 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 18 | 65th | $73,233±$9,417 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 7.04 | 66th | $70,429±$13,104 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 15 | 67th | $70,379±$5,687 |
| Tract 2.02 | 68th | $70,366±$12,103 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 102.08 | 69th | $69,609±$17,491 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 6 | 70th | $67,237±$20,668 · 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 15?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 15 on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are 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