← Price Inflation Report / Rent Tracker
Rent Tracker
The average asking rent in Des Moines, IA is $1,268/month as of 2026-03. That is +1.8% compared to a year ago.
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) · zillow.com/research
Current Avg Rent
$1,268/mo
as of 2026-03
Year-over-Year Change
+1.8%
Monthly ZORI index values for Des Moines, IA.
| Month | Avg Asking Rent | Change from Prior Month |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-03 | $1,268 | +0.63% |
| 2026-02 | $1,260 | +0.56% |
| 2026-01 | $1,253 | +0.08% |
| 2025-12 | $1,252 | -0.08% |
| 2025-11 | $1,253 | -0.56% |
| 2025-10 | $1,260 | -0.71% |
| 2025-09 | $1,269 | -0.08% |
| 2025-08 | $1,270 | +0.32% |
| 2025-07 | $1,266 | +0.64% |
| 2025-06 | $1,258 | +0.00% |
| 2025-05 | $1,258 | +0.64% |
| 2025-04 | $1,250 | +0.40% |
| 2025-03 | $1,245 | +0.97% |
| 2025-02 | $1,233 | +0.24% |
| 2025-01 | $1,230 | -0.08% |
| 2024-12 | $1,231 | -0.73% |
| 2024-11 | $1,240 | -0.48% |
| 2024-10 | $1,246 | -0.56% |
| 2024-09 | $1,253 | -0.16% |
| 2024-08 | $1,255 | +0.00% |
| 2024-07 | $1,255 | +0.40% |
| 2024-06 | $1,250 | +0.48% |
| 2024-05 | $1,244 | +0.57% |
| 2024-04 | $1,237 | — |
Shelter is the single largest component of the official CPI, accounting for roughly one-third of the index. But the BLS shelter index tends to lag real-market rent changes by 12–18 months because it measures rents paid by all tenants — including long-term renters locked into old leases. ZORI measures asking rents for new leases, making it a timelier signal of where CPI shelter inflation is headed.
When ZORI is rising sharply in your city, it is a leading indicator that official shelter inflation — and therefore overall CPI — will remain elevated in coming months.
Data: Zillow Research ZORI · Updated monthly · Price Inflation Report