Economic Indicators

"The short-term outlook is improving for Des Moines.  In line with recent data, the outlook calls for hiring to accelerate throughout the year.  Service-providing industries, including insurance, will underperform the U.S. average in the first half of the year, but they will gather strength by late 2012.  Meanwhile, support from the public sector will be modest.  Long-term prospects are upbeat.  DES's diverse industrial base, favorable business costs, and skilled workforce lay the foundation for above-average growth over the long run."  
                                             Moody's Analytics, February 2012

Economic indicators are used to evaluate the health of the economy of a region.  Metrics range from growth in the workforce to change in population to the number of building permits.  Like other research sources, updates are scheduled primarily on monthly, quarterly, and annual schedules and may involve a time lag of a year or more for some major studies.    

Greater Des Moines boasts 18.7% of Iowa's population, 20.6% of the jobs, and 25.3% of the state's economic output (The Brookings Institution, 2009 data).  


 

Download Reports

Labor Force Summary - MSA
February 2012 summary of employment and unemployment in the Des Moines metro area.  The February unemployment rate is 6.0%.

Midwest Consumer Price Index
The Consumer Price Index tracks changes in prices over time, and the Midwest version of the CPI covers Iowa.  The April 2012 report is now available.

Stats At A Glance
A current selection of our most requested statistics on business and quality of life in the Greater Des Moines Region.

Construction Contracts

Value of construciton contracts for both residential and nonresidential projects in the metro area.  Includes March 2011 and 2012 comparisons along with year-to-date comparisons for both years.

Gross Domestic Product -- Des Moines Metro Area
The GDP measures the size of a metro area's economy, shows growth or decline by industry, and more.  Download a comparison of GDP for 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Employment Outlook -- 1st Quarter 2012

Among survey participants, the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA MSA employment outlook for First Quarter 2012 is expected to be among the nation's strongest - second best in the nation with a Net Employment Outlook of 14%.

Airport Operating Statistics
This monthly report covers passenger, cargo and airport operation statistics.  Click to access the October 2011 statistics.

Residential Real Estate Market Statistics

Sales price and volume data for December 2010 and year-end totals for 2009 and 2010 are provided by the Des Moines Area Associaton of REALTORS.

Economic and Housing Market Conditions
U.S. Housing and Urban Development provides brief economic conditions, population and households, and housing market conditions data on a metro area basis.