Des Moines police area, Iowa, United States: crime rate and Safety score
Safety 1 out of 10 High crime
1/10 in United States · 1/10 in the world
Compared with 10324 places in the same country (10 = lowest crime). 767 places were left out of the comparison (incomplete figures or very few residents).
Weighted crime: 12,565 per 100,000 people (2025)
Figures are for the police agency that covers Des Moines police area.
Crime by type, as recorded by FBI Crime Data Explorer (2025)
| Type | Count | Per 100,000 a year | All places this source covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide | |||
| Murder and non-negligent manslaughter | 3 | 1.4 | 4.2 |
| Sexual offences | |||
| Rape | 103 | 48.4 | 36 |
| Violence | |||
| Aggravated assault | 1,122 | 526.9 | 238.3 |
| FBI summary counts: only aggravated assault, not simple assault. | |||
| Robbery | |||
| Robbery | 139 | 65.3 | 50.4 |
| Theft and burglary | |||
| Burglary | 824 | 387 | 190.5 |
| Larceny-theft | 4,265 | 2,003 | 1,141 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 931 | 437.2 | 197.5 |
| Other | |||
| Arson | 23 | 10.8 | 9.1 |
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer, updated 28 October 2026.
Recorded crime by type (2025)
| Homicide | 3 |
|---|---|
| Sexual offences | 103 |
| Violence | 1,122 |
| Robbery | 139 |
| Theft and burglary | 6,020 |
| Other | 23 |
Questions about crime in Des Moines police area
- Is Des Moines police area safe?
- Des Moines police area: Safety 1 out of 10 (High crime). Compared with 10324 places in the same country (10 = lowest crime). 767 places were left out of the comparison (incomplete figures or very few residents).
- What is the crime rate in Des Moines police area?
- Des Moines police area: Weighted crime: 12,565 per 100,000 people (2025).
- How many murders are there in Des Moines police area?
- Recorded homicides in Des Moines police area (2025): 3.
Other places nearby
Sheriffs of Polk County since 2010
Des Moines: Mayor not loaded yet. Polk County: Sheriff Kevin Schneider (Democrat). Governor: Kim Reynolds (Republican)
Kevin Schneider · Democrat
since 2024
Polk County ▼ −15% · USA ▼ −10%
Offences reported to the FBI per 1,000 people, the year before the term vs its latest year
Kevin Schneider
2020 – 2024
Polk County ▼ −31% · USA ▼ −6%
Offences reported to the FBI per 1,000 people, the year before the term vs its latest year
Bill McCarthy · Democrat
2016 – 2020
Polk County ▼ −7% · USA ▼ −15%
Offences reported to the FBI per 1,000 people, the year before the term vs its latest year
Bill McCarthy · Democrat
2012 – 2016
Polk County ▼ −11% · USA ▼ −10%
Offences reported to the FBI per 1,000 people, the year before the term vs its latest year
Bill McCarthy
2008 – 2012
In some cities an appointed manager or police chief, not the mayor, runs the police; in some counties the sheriff mainly runs the jail and the courts.
Mayors: Hilbig, Archived Campaign Websites of U.S. Mayoral Candidates (CC BY 4.0) and city sites. Sheriffs: Mavridis, US Sheriff Election Data (CC BY 4.0), MIT Election Data + Science Lab (CC0) and county election offices. Crime: FBI Crime Data Explorer.
