Des Moines Rankings
2018 Rankings
- Iowa State Fair named #9 most affordable state fair in America by Home to Go (August, HometoGo.com)
- Downtown Des Moines' Farmers' Market named in the Top 25 Farmers' Markets Across America by Parade (July 5, Parade.com)
- Des Moines named one of the Best Cities to Start a Business by CubeSmart (March 13, CubeSmart.com)
- Des Moines named one of the Happiest Cities in America by WalletHub (March 12, WalletHub.com)
- Livability names Des Moines One of Five Up-and-Coming Tech Hotspots (March 9, Livability.com)
- Des Moines named one of the Top Cities in America for St. Patrick's Day Celebrations by WalletHub (March 7, WalletHub.com)
- Expedia names Des Moines one of the Most Artistic Towns in America (February 14, Expedia.com)
- Des Moines named one of the Hottest Iowa Destinations by MeetingPages (January 30, MeetingPages.com)
- Three Greater Des Moines spots named on the Best Places for Beer in Iowa by RateBeer (January 25, RateBeer.com)
- Greater Des Moines Named One of 18 Family-Friendly Places to Visit in 2018 by Chicago Parent (January 2, ChicagoParent.com)
2017 Rankings
- Game Informer Names Up-Down One of the Top 10 Arcade Bars in the Country (December 30, GameInformer.com)
- Zombie Burger + Drink Lab Named Best Burger in Iowa by MSN Lifestyle (December 18, MSN.com)
- Expedia Names Des Moines 1 of 15 Under-the-Radar Cities You Need to Visit (September 20, Viewfinder.Expedia.com)
- Des Moines Named #1 Minor League Sports Market in the Nation (September 18, SportsBusinessDaily.com)
- Des Moines Named IFEA World Festival and Event City (September 14, IFEA.com)
- Thrillist names Des Moines Best Food City in Iowa (March, Thrillist.com)
- Reward Expert ranked Des Moines as one of the Best Mid-Sized Cities to Visit in 2017 (RewardExpert.com)
- Des Moines Arts Festival Named one of the Top Art Fairs in America (ArtsyShark.com)
- Des Moines Named One of The 6 Best New Beer Cities to Visit in 2017 (February 17, VinePair.com)
- Des Moines Named One of the Top Underappreciated American Cities You Should Totally Move To (February 17, Thrillist.com)
- Des Moines Ranked in the Top 10 Places to Live in the U.S. (February 12, SuccessfulMeetings.com)
2016 Rankings
- Des Moines Arts Festival received the Gold Grand Pinnacle Award reflecting the "best festival in the world" by the International Festivals & Events Association
- West Des Moines Ranked #3 on Top Cities for Retirement (June 27, Bankrate.com)
- Ankeny Ranked as one of the most Playful Cities in the USA (May 19, Kaboom)
- Grimes Ranked #4 Happiest Small Town Across America (March 30, Zippia.com)
- Des Moines Ranked Best City for the Middle Class (March 7, BusinessInsider.com)
- Des Moines Ranked in Top 10 Hippest Mid-Sized Cities in America (March 1, Gogobot.com)
- WalletHub Ranks Des Moines 11th Best Capital City (WalletHub.com)
- Des Moines/West Des Moines Ranks on 25 Best Cities for Young Entrepreneurs (PropertyCasualty360.com)
- Des Moines Ranked #4 on Best Mid-Sized Cities for Making a Living (MoneyGeek.com)
- Des Moines Ranked #4 on Best Cities for Young Families in 2016 (ValuePenguin.com)
- Des Moines Ranked the 10th on the Best Cities to Live and Work (RoberyHalf.com)
2015 Rankings
- Gallup Ranks Des Moines/West Des Moines in Top 50 Communities For Well Being (Gallup)
- Des Moines Ranked #4 on The Best Cities in America For Young Adults to Get Rich (November 16, MoneyUnder30.com)
- Downtown Des Moines Most Budget-Friendly on Top Downtown Areas to Raise a Family (November 11, Storage.com)
- Dell Ranks Des Moines in America's Most 25 Future-Ready Cities (October 21, Dell)
- Des Moines Ranked in Top 50 Entrepreneur Friendly Cities (October 6, MBACentral.org)
- Des Moines Ranked #3 on The Best Minor League Baseball Towns of 2015 (September 29, SmartAsset.com)
- Des Moines Ranked #3 on SmartAsset Best Cities for Children (September 22, SmartAsset.com)
- FlipKey ranks Des Moines as #1 City in Iowa for Affordable Vacation Rentals (September 11, FlipKey.com)
- Des Moines #7 on SmartAsset Top 10 Best American Cities to Work in Tech 2015 (September 2, SmartAsset.com)
- Des Moines #7 on Entrepreneur's 25 Cities Worth Moving to If You Want to Launch a Business (August 20, Entrepreneur.com)
- Des Moines Named in The 10 Most Underrated Cities For Millennials (August 17, MatadorNetwork.com)
- Johnston and Waukee Ranked on Money's Top 50 Best Places to Live 2015 (August 16, Time.com/Money)
- Des Moines Ranked #6 on 10 Cities Where Craft Beer is Taking Off (August 3, TheStreet.com)
- Iowa State Fair Named #4 on The 20 Best State Fairs in America (July 22, VacationsMadeEasy.com)
- Des Moines Named on Top 10 Cities for Creatives (July 7, Smartasset.com)
- Waukee Ranked in Top 10 Best Towns for Families: 2015 (July 7, FamilyCircle.com)
- Des Moines-West Des Moines Rank #6 on 9 Best Up-and-Coming Towns for College Grads (June 18, CBSNews.com)
- Des Moines Ranked #4 on 30 Best Tech Cities to Start a Career (June 8, ComputerTrainingSchools.com)
- Des Moines Ranked #5 on 10 Best Cities for Retirement in America (June 8, Bankrate.com)
- Clive Named A Top 100 Best Small Town, 2015 (June 1, Livability.com)
- Des Moines Ranked The Fourth "Furriendliest" City In The PetSmart Charities May National Adoption Weekend (May 19, PetsMart)
- Des Moines Art Center Named one of 19 Free Art Museums You Should Visit This Summer (May 19, Huffington Post)
- Des Moines Ranks #4 for America's most Business-Friendly cities. #1 for Business Climate (May 18, Market Watch)
- Buzzfeed Ranks Des Moines #11 of the 34 Underrated U.S. Cities You'll Actually Want To Move To (May 16, Buzzfeed)
- Des Moines Ranked #6 Mid-sized Metro Area for College Graduates to move to for Employment (May 15, AIER)
- Des Moines Leads U.S. Metro Areas in Community Pride (May 13, Gallup)
- Gallup Poll lists Des Moines as Top Place Where Residents Feel Safe (May 4, Gallup)
- Des Moines/ West Des Moines Ranked 11th Best Place to Start a Business in U.S. (May 1, Nerdwallet.com)
- Des Moines Ranks 52nd-Best Place to Start a Business (April 28, WalletHub.com)
- Des Moines Ranked #7 in the U.S. for Metro Area Budgeting (April 24, WalletHub.com)
- Des Moines Among Top 10 U.S. Cities for New College Grads (April 10, SmartAsset.com)
- Des Moines Named in Top 5 Emerging Start Up Cities of 2015 (March 25, Investopedia.com)
- Iowa Ranks Sixth-Best for Retirement (March 24, Bankrate.com)
- Greater Des Moines Ranked #4 for 2015 Economic Strength in Metropolitan Statistical Areas (March 23, POLICOM)
- West Des Moines Named on list of Hippest Cities (March 18, FindTheHome.com)
- Des Moines listed in the 50 Best Places to Live in America (March 18, Men's Journal)
- Des Moines Recognized as Top Place to Watch for Sports (January 14, Sports Events Magazine)
- Des Moines is the #2 Best City for Jobs (January 6, Forbes)
2014 Rankings
- Des Moines named on list of Best Architecture in the Midwest (December 11, Conde Nast Traveler)
- Des Moines Ranked Best City in US for Young Professionals (August 18, Forbes)
- Downtown Des Moines Farmers' Market Ranked #2 Best in America for 2nd Year in a Row (August 7, The Daily Meal)
- Des Moines Ranked as a Top 10 City for Younger Home Buyers (July 29, MarketWatch)
- Forbes Ranks Des Moines #2 Best Place for Business (July 23, Forbes)
- Fortune Names Des Moines #1 City with Up-And-Coming Downtowns (July 10, Fortune)
- Waukee Ranked #1 Safest Place in Iowa (July 1 Movoto)
- Iowa Ranked 12th Top State for Business (July 1, CNBC)
- Des Moines Ranked in the Top 6 Most Family Friendly U.S. Cities (June 12, Realty Times)
- Des Moines Ranked #4 Most LGBT-Friendly City in America (June 11, Vocativ)
- Greater Des Moines #1 Region for Economic Strength (June 5, Policom)
- Iowa Ranks as the Ninth Best State in Which to Retire (May 5, Bankrate)
- Iowa Named One of Top 10 Best States to Eat Local (April 28, Locavore)
- Des Moines Downtown Farmer's Market Ranked in Top 10 Nationally (April 25, Shape)
- Des Moines Ranked Number 6 to Raise a Family (April 17, Forbes)
- Des Moines Ranked in Top 10 Places With the Most Job Opportunities (Beyond.com)
- Des Moines in Top 5 Cities for Finding Jobs (April 4, ZipRecruiter)
- Downtown Des Moines' Historic East Village Named Top 10 Undercover Stylish Neighborhood in the US (April 3, Paste)
- Adventureland Park Named Fourth Best Amusement Park in the US (March 30, American Mensa)
- Greater Des Moines Ranks 25th for Overall Well-Being (March 25, Healthways and Gallup)
- Des Moines Ranks in Top 10 Nationally for Teen Employment Rate (March 14, Brookings)
- Index ranks Des Moines as Top Midwest Economy (February 25, Business Record)
- #1 Wealthiest City in America (January 23, TODAY show)
- #1 Best Medium-Sized Metro Area for Homeownership (January 21, Nerdwallet)
- Top Place to Watch in 2014 (January 6, Sports Event Magazine)
2013 Rankings
- #2 Strongest Local Economy (2013, Policom)
- Ankeny ranked #1 for families (November 24, NerdWallet.com)
- #5 Best US States for Young Adults (October 14, MoneyRates)
- #15 America's Most Productive Metros (October 4, The Atlantic Cities)
- Three Best Cities to Start a Business (September 28, Forbes)
- #12 Best States for Business (September, Forbes)
- Des Moines Farmers’ Market ranked #3 on this list of 11 (August 29, thedailymeal.com)
- Waukee and Ankeny both land on CNN Money's "Best Places To Live" list (August 12, CNN Money)
- Des Moines Comes in #8 for Top Minor League Markets in US (August 12, Sports Business Daily)
- Des Moines Tops List Of The Best Places For Business And Careers (August 7, Forbes)
- Des Moines Ranks in Top Ten of Most Unexpected Cities for High-Tech Innovation (April 8, Techie.com)
- Des Moines is the #1 Midwest City for Young Adults (March 26, The Business Journals)
- Des Moines is #3 for Top Emerging Downtowns in US (March 25, Forbes)
- #2 Best City to Start a Business (March 19, The Street)
Click to View a PDF of the Rankings found below.
