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About Des Moines

Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in Iowa, United States. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines, which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857. It is located on, and named after, the Des Moines River, which likely was adapted from the early French name, Rivière des Moines, meaning "River of the Monks". The city's population was 214,133 as of the 2020 census. The six-county metropolitan area is ranked 81st in terms of population in the United States, with 709,466 residents according to the 2020 census by the United States Census Bureau, and is the largest metropolitan area fully located within the state.

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Frequently asked questions

Want to know about travelling to Des Moines, IA, USA? We have put together a list of the most frequently asked questions from our users such as: What is the cheapest mode of transport?, What is the quickest option?, How much do tickets usually cost? and many more.

There are 196+ hotels available in Des Moines. Prices start at $36 USD per night.

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It is currently 4:28 PM in Des Moines. Des Moines uses Central Standard Time and also supports Central Daylight Time.