Census tract · Polk County
Census Tract 18, Polk County, Iowa
Census Tract 18, GEOID 19153001800, in Polk County, Iowa, entirely within Des Moines. 2,101 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±316); the 2020 Census counted 1,985.
Residents, 2020-2024
2,101
±316 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 1,985
Median household income
$73,233
±$9,417 (90% margin)
Polk County: $83,576
Median home value
$132,600
±$9,702 (90% margin)
Polk County: $262,100
Median gross rent
$1,089
±$567 (90% margin)
Polk County: $1,149
Where is Census Tract 18?
Census Tract 18 is one of 112 census tracts in Polk County, Iowa. It covers 0.56 square miles of land, 3,564 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 19153001800, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Des Moines | 100% |
6 census tracts border Census Tract 18: Tract 2.02 ($70,366), Tract 3 ($50,873), Tract 17 ($55,278), Tract 19 ($63,317), Tract 21 ($54,428) and Tract 52 ($56,832). 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 18?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 18's population at 2,101 (±316) in 799 households; the 2020 Census counted 1,985 residents and 873 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 18 | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,101±316 | 212,421 |
| Households | 799±108 | 90,105 |
| Average household size | 2.63±0.29 | 2.30 |
| Housing units | 817±108 | 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 18?
The median resident of Census Tract 18 is 41.7 years old; 21.3% are under 18 and 17.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 65.8%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 23.8%. 17.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 18 | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.7±3.4 | 34.6 |
| Under 18 years | 21.3%±6.1 pts | 23.2% |
| 65 years and over | 17.6%±5.0 pts | 12.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 23.8%±10.3 pts | 16.3% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 65.8%±12.1 pts | 61.0% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.9%±0.9 pts | 11.1% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 3.7%±3.8 pts | 6.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.2 pts | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.2 pts | 0.1% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.9%±7.2 pts | 4.5% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.2 pts | 0.4% |
| Born outside the United States | 17.9%±6.0 pts | 14.2% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 14.1%±5.9 pts | 21.9% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.2%±1.4 pts | 5.0% |
| With a disability | 15.1%±6.4 pts | 14.3% |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.4%±5.2 pts | 7.2% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.8%±3.7 pts | 87.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 13.9%±6.2 pts | 29.7% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.0%±4.0 pts | 9.3% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 96.1%±3.9 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 18 earn?
Half of the 799 households in Census Tract 18 earn less than $73,233 a year (±$9,417), against $83,576 across Polk County: 65th highest of the county's 109 tracts with a reliable estimate. 10.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 18 | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $73,233±$9,417 | $65,932 |
| Mean household income | $85,789±$16,178 | $86,645 |
| Per capita income | $33,039±$6,346 | $37,863 |
| People below the poverty line | 10.9%±7.1 pts | 15.0% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 24.6%±23.1 pts | 22.1% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 16.3%±8.1 pts | 15.8% |
| Households with a computer | 92.2%±5.4 pts | 96.0% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 89.6%±5.4 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 18?
Owners occupy 82.6% of Census Tract 18's occupied homes and renters 17.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $132,600 by its owner (±$9,702). The median renter pays $1,089 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Tract 18 | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $132,600±$9,702 | $194,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,089±$567 | $1,090 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 5.5%±10.1 pts | 37.3% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,238±$85 | $1,485 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 82.6%±8.9 pts | 60.5% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 17.4%±8.9 pts | 39.5% |
| Housing units | 817±108 | 97,604 |
| Single-family detached homes | 96.9%±3.7 pts | 61.6% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0%±3.0 pts | 2.6% |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.2%±1.8 pts | 0.9% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.8%±4.1 pts | 8.3% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 28.2%±9.1 pts | 26.7% |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.3%±1.9 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 18 get to work?
77.2% of Census Tract 18's workers drive alone and 7.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 19.6 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 18 | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.1%±6.2 pts | 71.1% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.1%±2.1 pts | 5.6% |
| Drove alone to work | 77.2%±8.4 pts | 70.9% |
| Carpooled | 10.7%±7.9 pts | 11.0% |
| Public transportation | 1.0%±1.4 pts | 0.8% |
| Walked | 0.0%±2.4 pts | 2.4% |
| Worked from home | 7.6%±4.3 pts | 13.1% |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.6 min±1.9 | 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 18 compare with the other tracts in Polk County?
Among Polk County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 18 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Polk County | In Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 107th of 111 | 54th of 59 |
| Residents per square mile | 49th of 112 | 35th of 60 |
| Median household income | 65th of 109 | 20th of 58 |
| Per capita income | 80th of 111 | 30th of 59 |
| Median home value | 107th of 109 | 55th of 57 |
| Median gross rent | 65th of 107 | 31st of 59 |
| Poverty rate | 48th of 68 | 36th of 43 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 98th of 111 | 46th of 59 |
| Median age | 23rd of 111 | 12th of 59 |
| Owner-occupied share | 29th of 111 | 11th of 59 |
The tracts next to it on Polk County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 110.28 | 62nd | $75,404±$18,826 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 104.11 | 63rd | $74,219±$24,338 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 107.03 | 64th | $73,438±$14,938 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 18 | 65th | $73,233±$9,417 |
| Tract 7.04 | 66th | $70,429±$13,104 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 15 | 67th | $70,379±$5,687 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 2.02 | 68th | $70,366±$12,103 · 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 18?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 18 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