Des Moines, Washington
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Des Moines ( ) is a
city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 32,888 as of the 2020 census. The city is located on the east shore of
Puget Sound Puget Sound ( ; ) is a complex estuary, estuarine system of interconnected Marine habitat, marine waterways and basins located on the northwest coast of the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. As a part of the Salish Sea, the sound ...
, near the center of the
Seattle metropolitan area The Seattle metropolitan area is an urban conglomeration in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington that comprises Seattle, its surrounding Satellite city, satellites and suburbs. The United States Census Bureau defines the Seattle–T ...
. It is bordered by the suburbs of Federal Way to the south,
Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...
to the east, SeaTac to the northeast, Burien to the north, and Normandy Park to the northwest. Des Moines is one of the few points along this shoreline where the topography facilitates access to the water, and a recreational marina operated by the city, with moorage, boat launching and pier fishing facilities, is located there. Saltwater State Park, located on a steep ravine between the Zenith and Woodmont neighborhoods, is the most used
state park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "Federated state, state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on accou ...
on Puget Sound. Near the border of Federal Way, the Redondo neighborhood has a boardwalk and aquarium.


History

What was to become Des Moines was first explored by Europeans on May 26, 1792, during the exploration of British naval Captain
George Vancouver Captain (Royal Navy), Captain George Vancouver (; 22 June 1757 – 10 May 1798) was a Royal Navy officer and explorer best known for leading the Vancouver Expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern West Coast of the Uni ...
on his flagship HMS ''Discovery''. The first Americans to visit the area were part of
Charles Wilkes Charles Wilkes (April 3, 1798 – February 8, 1877) was an American naval officer, ship's captain, and List of explorers, explorer. He led the United States Exploring Expedition (1838–1842). During the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865 ...
' Expedition. The first known settler was John Moore, who probably arrived ''circa'' 1867. His homestead claim certificate (#285) was granted on July 2, 1872. In 1887, F.A. Blasher persuaded some friends in his home city of
Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Iowa, most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is the county seat of Polk County, Iowa, Polk County with parts extending into Warren County, Iowa, Wa ...
, to help finance the development of a town on Puget Sound. The work was done by the Des Moines Improvement Company. In 1889 the area was platted into lots and sold by the Des Moines Improvement Company, which had been incorporated by F. A. Blasher, Orin Watts Barlow, Charles M. Johnson, and John W. Kleeb. Lumber mills provided the community with its primary employment. Early transportation to Des Moines was by water. The mosquito fleet provided access to
Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...
, Tacoma, and Vashon. The first road, the Brick Highway, was completed in May 1916. The first cross-
Puget Sound Puget Sound ( ; ) is a complex estuary, estuarine system of interconnected Marine habitat, marine waterways and basins located on the northwest coast of the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. As a part of the Salish Sea, the sound ...
automobile ferry started service from Des Moines to
Portage Portage or portaging ( CA: ; ) is the practice of carrying water craft or cargo over land, either around an obstacle in a river, or between two bodies of water. A path where items are regularly carried between bodies of water is also called a '' ...
on November 13, 1916. This ferry service continued until September 1921. Before
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
farming fueled the local economy. Following the war, suburbanization of the community took place. With increased population, the county government was unable to supply the level of service and local control desired by Des Moines residents. In response to these needs, Des Moines was officially incorporated on June 17, 1959. On December 12, 1969, an F3 tornado injured one person near Saltwater State Park. The city's most visible asset is its 838-berth small boat marina, that was opened on May 10, 1970. In 1980, a concrete and aluminum fishing pier was built at the northern end of the marina.One Hundred Years of the "Waterland" Community: A History of Des Moines, Washington, 1989 Property within the city has been the subject of land buyouts because of noise from aircraft landing or taking off from the Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, which is located north of Des Moines. On November 22, 1982, Des Moines
annexed Annexation, in international law, is the forcible acquisition and assertion of legal title over one state's territory by another state, usually following military occupation of the territory. In current international law, it is generally held to ...
the nearby community of Zenith, a farming community founded in 1906 that later became a bedroom community for Boeing workers.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Most of the city rolls gently down to the waters of
Puget Sound Puget Sound ( ; ) is a complex estuary, estuarine system of interconnected Marine habitat, marine waterways and basins located on the northwest coast of the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. As a part of the Salish Sea, the sound ...
from an elevation of approximately along the eastern city boundary on Pacific Highway, allowing many homes to enjoy an unobstructed view of the sound and Vashon. The ravines of Des Moines Creek and Massey Creek deeply incise this broad slope.


Demographics

As of the 2022
American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...
, there are 12,369 estimated households in Des Moines with an average of 2.57 persons per household. The city has a median household income of $81,362. Approximately 11.8% of the city's population lives at or below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
. Des Moines has an estimated 63.3% employment rate, with 30.4% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 88.6% holding a high school diploma. The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (65.2%), Spanish (14.2%), Indo-European (6.6%), Asian and Pacific Islander (9.1%), and Other (5.0%). The median age in the city was 38.2 years.


2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 32,888 people, 12,423 households, and 7,854 families residing in the city. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was . There were 13,222 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 49.44%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 12.19%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 1.15% Native American, 12.74% Asian, 2.64%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 10.35% from some other races and 11.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 17.70% of the population. 21.2% of residents were under the age of 18, 6.9% were under 5 years of age, and 17.0% were 65 and older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.


2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 29,673 people, 11,664 households, and 7,249 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 12,588 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 63.55%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 9.08%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 1.07% Native American, 10.66% Asian, 2.41%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 7.78% from some other races and 5.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 15.17% of the population. There were 11,664 households, of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.9% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.10. The median age in the city was 39.4 years. 22.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.9% were from 25 to 44; 27.4% were from 45 to 64; and 14.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.7% male and 51.3% female.


2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 29,267 people, 11,337 households, and 7,289 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 11,777 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 74.15%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 7.20%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.96% Native American, 8.28% Asian, 1.34%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 3.32% from some other races and 4.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 6.61% of the population. There were 11,337 households, out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.02. In the city the population was spread out, with 23.8% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $48,971, and the median income for a family was $57,003. Males had a median income of $40,007 versus $30,553 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,127. About 5.6% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.


Education


Primary and secondary schools

Most of Des Moines is within the Highline Public Schools district; the neighborhoods of Woodmont and Redondo are within the Federal Way School District. Elementary schools within Des Moines include Des Moines Elementary School, Midway Elementary School, North Hill Elementary School, Olympic Hill Elementary School, Parkside Elementary School, and Woodmont Elementary School (Woodmont is a part of the Federal Way School District).Federal Way Public School District
" Retrieved on May 31, 2010.
Detailed Street Map
." City of Des Moines. Retrieved on February 28, 2010.
Pacific Middle School and Mount Rainier High School are the secondary schools of Des Moines. Des Moines students, pre-K through 8th grade, are also served by St. Philomena Catholic School and Holy Trinity Lutheran School.


Colleges

Highline College is in Des Moines. CWU-Des Moines, a branch of Central Washington University, is co-located on the Highline College campus and offers several bachelor and graduate degrees.


Parks and recreation

Saltwater State Park is in Des Moines.


Government

Des Moines has as a council–manager form of government. The Des Moines Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency for the city of Des Moines, Washington. It employs 30 sworn officers. The police chief will be Ted Boe, the former Chief of Burien.


Transportation

Des Moines is served by several regional highways:
Interstate 5 Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels thro ...
to the east, which connects to Seattle and Tacoma; State Route 99, which runs along the east side; State Route 509 through downtown; and State Route 516 to Kent.
King County Metro King County Metro, officially the King County Metro Transit Department and often shortened to Metro, is the public transit authority of King County, Washington, which includes the city of Seattle. It is the eighth-largest transit bus agency in t ...
provides bus service from Des Moines to surrounding areas, including Burien Transit Center and Kent station. A park-and-ride lot at the Kent-Des Moines Road interchange has express buses to Seattle and Tacoma operated by Metro and Sound Transit Express. The nearest
Link light rail Link light rail is a light rail system with some rapid transit characteristics that serves the Seattle metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. It is managed by Sound Transit in partnership with local transit pro ...
station is Angle Lake, which is connected to downtown Des Moines by a shuttle bus that debuted in 2018. Sound Transit plans to open the Kent Des Moines light rail station near Highline College in 2026 as part of a Link light rail extension to Federal Way. The city government launched a passenger ferry service in August 2022 to connect Bell Harbor Marina in
Downtown Seattle Downtown is the central business district of Seattle, Washington. It is fairly compact compared with other city centers on the U.S. West Coast due to its geographical situation, being hemmed in on the north and east by hills, on the west by ...
to Des Moines Marina. The two-month pilot was operated by Puget Sound Express using MV '' Chilkat Express'', a 60-passenger
catamaran A catamaran () (informally, a "cat") is a watercraft with two parallel hull (watercraft), hulls of equal size. The wide distance between a catamaran's hulls imparts stability through resistance to rolling and overturning; no ballast is requi ...
.


City landmarks

The City of Des Moines has designated the following landmark:


Notable people

* Gregory Carroll, operatic tenor * Peter H. Gregory, information security advisor and writer. * Darwin Jones, professional soccer player * Mary Kay Letourneau, convicted sex offender; lived here


References


External links


City of Des Moines – official website

Des Moines – Thumbnail History
at
HistoryLink HistoryLink is an online encyclopedia of Washington (state), Washington state history. The site has more than 8,100 entries and attracts 23,000 weekly visitors. It has 500 biographies and more than 14,000 images. The non-profit historical organi ...
{{Authority control Cities in King County, Washington Populated places established in 1889 Populated places on Puget Sound Cities in Washington (state) 1889 establishments in Washington (state)