Des Moines, IA has 13 licensed nursing homes listed on ElderCareCosts. The median estimated cost is $9,373/mo. That's roughly in line with the Iowa state median. The typical licensed nursing homes provider in Des Moines has 78 beds, against 57 statewide.
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Median monthly price, Des Moines
$9,373/mo
Estimated range $9,038 – $10,142
● Des Moines $9,373 ○ National median $10,205
2025 figures
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Home care in Des Moines runs about $42 an hour. Here is what common schedules cost a month:
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Medicare generally does not cover long-term custodial care. Families usually combine private pay, long-term care insurance, VA Aid and Attendance, or a Medicaid waiver where they qualify. See paying for care and the state Medicaid guides.
Nearby cities: West Des Moines · Urbandale · Johnston · Ankeny · Indianola
Here is what different monthly budgets cover in Des Moines.
The typical licensed nursing homes provider in Des Moines has 78 beds, against 57 across Iowa. They range from 46 to 120.
On the most recent inspection on file, federal inspectors recorded an average of 24.9 findings per provider here, above the Iowa average of 16.3.
5 of the 12 nursing homes here with a current CMS rating hold four or five stars.
Des Moines, in Polk County, has about 212,421 residents. About 27,045 of them (13%) are 65 or older. The median household income is $65,932.
Source: US Census BureauAAA serving Polk County (Des Moines) and seven surrounding counties. Contact from Iowa HHS SFY 2025 AAA Plan Update Synopsis.
State Long-Term Care Ombudsman program.
State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
Statewide help for older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers.
VA Medical Center in Des Moines.
Can help pay for care if your parent qualifies.
1 VA Community Living Center or State Veterans Home nearby.
VA Aid & Attendance overview →National helplines, including the Eldercare Locator and 211, are listed on paying for care.
Veterans & surviving spouses: VA Aid & Attendance can help wartime veterans who qualify. How Aid & Attendance works →
Des Moines's median nursing home cost is about 1% higher than the Iowa state median.
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Reading up first? Nursing Homes across Iowa → · Nursing Homes cost across Iowa → · Assisted Living vs Nursing Homes →
Touring this week? Print our checklist: what to ask on a tour, what to notice, and the license paperwork to request. Or email it to yourself to have it on your phone.