Census tract · Dallas County
Census Tract 508.12, Dallas County, Iowa
Census Tract 508.12, GEOID 19049050812, in Dallas County, Iowa, mostly within West Des Moines (58% of its census blocks). 5,305 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±459); the 2020 Census counted 4,149.
Residents, 2020-2024
5,305
±459 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 4,149
Median household income
$107,083
±$34,845 (90% margin)
Dallas County: $102,379
Median home value
$535,800
±$69,523 (90% margin)
Dallas County: $355,600
Median gross rent
$1,142
±$80 (90% margin)
Dallas County: $1,311
Where is Census Tract 508.12?
Census Tract 508.12 is one of 19 census tracts in Dallas County, Iowa. It covers 17.93 square miles of land, 231 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 19049050812, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| West Des Moines | 58% |
| Waukee | 1% |
8 census tracts border Census Tract 508.12: Tract 508.14 ($108,988), Tract 508.15 ($81,882), Tract 508.16 ($95,510), Tract 508.18 ($111,838), Tract 509.02 ($129,484), Tract 601.01 in Madison County ($116,875), Tract 110.26 in Polk County ($96,549) and Tract 110.28 in Polk County ($75,404). 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 508.12?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 508.12's population at 5,305 (±459) in 2,149 households; the 2020 Census counted 4,149 residents and 1,798 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 508.12 | West Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,305 ±459 | 71,083 |
| Households | 2,149 ±208 | 32,233 |
| Average household size | 2.44 ±0.22 | 2.19 |
| Housing units | 2,235 ±195 | 34,006 |
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 508.12?
The median resident of Census Tract 508.12 is 39.1 years old; 29.1% are under 18 and 19.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 74.4%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 14.0%. 12.3% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 508.12 | West Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.1 ±2.9 | 36.0 |
| Under 18 years | 29.1% ±5.0 pts | 21.0% |
| 65 years and over | 19.7% ±3.9 pts | 15.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.4% ±2.9 pts | 6.5% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 74.4% ±9.3 pts | 77.4% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 14.0% ±8.3 pts | 5.0% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 4.9% ±3.8 pts | 6.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.8% ±2.1 pts | 4.3% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.5 pts | 0.4% |
| Born outside the United States | 12.3% ±5.2 pts | 10.9% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 11.9% ±6.1 pts | 13.4% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.4% ±1.8 pts | 5.4% |
| With a disability | 11.4% ±3.7 pts | 9.9% |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.8% ±1.6 pts | 4.8% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.7% ±4.6 pts | 96.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 63.3% ±6.9 pts | 54.9% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 30.0% ±5.3 pts | 19.1% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.5% ±4.5 pts | 80.1% |
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 508.12 earn?
Half of the 2,149 households in Census Tract 508.12 earn less than $107,083 a year (±$34,845), against $102,379 across Dallas County: 8th highest of the county's 19 tracts with a reliable estimate. 18.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 508.12 | West Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $107,083 ±$34,845 | $86,594 |
| Mean household income | $156,061 ±$24,983 | $123,759 |
| Per capita income | $65,486 ±$10,700 | $57,275 |
| People below the poverty line | 18.4% ±9.4 pts | 8.4% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 32.5% ±18.7 pts | 10.0% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 16.1% ±6.7 pts | 7.3% |
| Households with a computer | 95.4% ±4.3 pts | 97.6% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.3% ±4.6 pts | 93.4% |
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 508.12?
Owners occupy 63.3% of Census Tract 508.12's occupied homes and renters 36.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $535,800 by its owner (±$69,523). The median renter pays $1,142 a month including utilities, and 75.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 508.12 | West Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $535,800 ±$69,523 | $309,000 |
| Median gross rent | $1,142 ±$80 | $1,237 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 75.2% ±14.3 pts | 32.7% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,662 ±$418 | $1,845 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 63.3% ±7.2 pts | 57.4% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 36.7% ±7.2 pts | 42.6% |
| Housing units | 2,235 ±195 | 34,006 |
| Single-family detached homes | 52.0% ±6.5 pts | 45.6% |
| Mobile homes | 2.9% ±3.1 pts | 0.7% |
| Built 2020 or later | 17.5% ±5.5 pts | 2.6% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 42.2% ±7.7 pts | 16.7% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 4.2% |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.4% ±4.5 pts | 3.9% |
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 508.12 get to work?
65.2% of Census Tract 508.12's workers drive alone and 25.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 19.7 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 508.12 | West Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 62.9% ±5.3 pts | 72.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.1% ±2.3 pts | 2.4% |
| Drove alone to work | 65.2% ±8.1 pts | 71.0% |
| Carpooled | 3.9% ±4.6 pts | 6.8% |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.6% |
| Walked | 1.5% ±2.4 pts | 0.8% |
| Worked from home | 25.0% ±6.9 pts | 19.1% |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.7 min ±3.1 | 18.3 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 508.12 compare with the other tracts in Dallas County?
Among Dallas County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 508.12 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Dallas County | In West Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 10th of 19 | 6th of 16 |
| Residents per square mile | 14th of 19 | 16th of 16 |
| Median household income | 8th of 19 | 5th of 16 |
| Per capita income | 3rd of 19 | 4th of 16 |
| Median home value | 1st of 19 | 1st of 16 |
| Median gross rent | 12th of 19 | 13th of 16 |
| Poverty rate | 1st of 14 | 1st of 7 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 5th of 19 | 4th of 16 |
| Median age | 6th of 19 | 4th of 16 |
| Owner-occupied share | 14th of 19 | 7th of 16 |
The tracts next to it on Dallas County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 509.02 | 5th | $129,484±$11,542 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 508.18 | 6th | $111,838±$15,990 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 508.14 | 7th | $108,988±$36,602 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 508.12 | 8th | $107,083±$34,845 |
| Tract 509.01 | 9th | $97,321±$13,062 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 506 | 10th | $96,875±$14,117 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 507 | 11th | $96,438±$17,049 · 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 508.12?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 508.12 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