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. Compare providers below, or request a personalized shortlist to start your search.
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● Des Moines $9,373 ○ National median $10,205
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Des Moines figures as of 2025. Method and sources below.
Median costs for nursing homes in Des Moines versus Iowa and the middle state nationally. The 25th and 75th percentile rows are the modeled range explained on the methodology page; in the national column they are percentiles across state medians. Figures are estimates, not quotes.
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The $7,917 monthly figure assumes 44 hours of care a week. The survey standard. At Des Moines's implied rate of about $42 an hour:
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Medicare generally does not cover long-term custodial care. State-specific Medicaid waiver guides are coming soon.
Nearby: Pleasant Hill $9,373 · Windsor Heights $9,373 · Carlisle $9,373 · Saylorville $9,373 · Norwalk $9,373
Every family starts with a number. Here's what different monthly budgets realistically cover in Des Moines, grounded in local medians on this page.
A note on counting: we show 13 licensed nursing homes listed for Des Moines proper. Other sites show bigger numbers when they count a wide radius. Nearby options are linked below, labeled by city.
Providers appear with their government data: license status, capacity, inspection history, and a CMS star rating where the service has one. The order is the date we last verified each record, newest first. Nobody pays to appear, and nobody pays to move up. If a listing says "Sponsored," a provider paid for that placement and the label says so.
Looking for a transparent sort by CMS stars, inspection records, and staffing? That is a separate data ranking, not an editorial pick.
Most listings publish no price. The Des Moines nursing homes median is $9,373/mo, an estimate; ask each facility for its own number in writing.
Sponsored placements, when they appear, are always labeled. How we make money →
Des Moines has an estimated population of 212,421. About 27,045 residents (13%) are age 65 or older. Des Moines is located in Polk County, Iowa. The median household income is $65,932. Our directory currently lists 13 licensed nursing homes in Des Moines. Estimated median cost in Des Moines is $9,373 per month, compared with $9,277 per month statewide in Iowa.
Source: US Census Bureau (ACS) · Updated Jul 2026.GOVThese services are public and free. We list them before anything we could earn from.
AAA 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).
Aging & Disability Resource Center hub for this state.
VA Medical Center in Des Moines.
Can help pay for care if your parent qualifies. Rules change. Confirm on the official page.
1 licensed VA Community Living Center / State Veterans Home, sourced from VA Access to Care.
VA Aid & Attendance overview →Free national starting points. Official sites only; we do not scrape these directories.
Free nationwide connection to local aging services.
Local health and human services referrals.
Screen for benefits you may qualify for.
ACL Disability Information and Access Line.
Veterans health care and long-term care programs.
Veterans & surviving spouses: VA Aid & Attendance can help wartime veterans who qualify. Official info only. How Aid & Attendance works →
We currently list 13 licensed nursing homes in Des Moines, IA.
Des Moines's median nursing home cost is about 1% higher than the Iowa state median.
Tell us needs and budget once. We email you licensed options with the cost data we publish, the same day. Data stays free either way.
Reading up first? Nursing Homes across Iowa → · Nursing Homes cost breakdown → · 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. Free, no email required. Optional send-to-email when you want it on your phone.
How to cite this page
Cite this: According to ElderCareCosts' 2026 index, nursing homes in Des Moines, IA cost $9,373/month (median).
APA: ElderCareCosts Research. (2026). Nursing Homes in Des Moines, IA. ElderCareCosts. Retrieved September 18, 2026, from https://www.eldercarecosts.com/nursing-homes/iowa/des-moines/
Chicago: ElderCareCosts Research. "Nursing Homes in Des Moines, IA." ElderCareCosts. Last modified August 10, 2026. Accessed September 18, 2026. https://www.eldercarecosts.com/nursing-homes/iowa/des-moines/.
These figures may be quoted and reproduced with attribution and a link back to this page. No permission needed. Methodology · Data sources · Who produces this · Corrections