In 2025, Des Moines police reported 1,366 violent crimes (642 per 100,000 residents), including 3 murders, 139 robberies and 1,122 aggravated assaults, plus 6,019 property crimes, according to FBI data.
Population covered: 212,933. Violent-crime rate rank: 2 of 3 large Iowa cities on this site (1 = highest rate). Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer, agency IA0770300, January–December 2025.
| City | Violent / 100k | Violent | Murders | Property / 100k | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport | 652 | 657 | 7 | 3,160 | Totals |
| Des Moines | 642 | 1,366 | 3 | 2,827 | Totals |
| Cedar Rapids | 265 | 366 | 4 | 2,127 | Totals |
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer agency counts for 2025 (all 12 months reported unless noted), retrieved October 7, 2026. Rates use the population the FBI lists for each police agency.
Des Moines's violent-crime rate of 642 per 100,000 people in 2025 was 2.8 times the Iowa rate (231) and 2 times the U.S. rate (320). That works out to one reported violent crime for every 156 residents, or about 26.3 a week.
Among the 362 cities with full-year FBI numbers on CityCrimeMap, Des Moines ranks 88th for violent crime, in the higher half, and 280th for murder (3 murders, 1.4 per 100,000).
Aggravated assaults made up 82% of Des Moines's violent crimes and robberies 10%, a smaller robbery share than the national 15%.
Property crime ran 2,827 per 100,000, 2.4 times Iowa overall. Des Moines police logged 931 vehicle thefts (437 per 100,000, 78th of 351; Iowa: 116) and 824 burglaries (387 per 100,000, 2.3 times the state).
The closest city we cover is Cedar Rapids, 103 miles east; its violent-crime rate (265) is less than half Des Moines's.
Out-of-state cities near Des Moines's size (212,933 residents): Worcester, MA at 601 violent crimes per 100,000 and Sioux Falls, SD at 364.
By the FBI's 2025 numbers, Des Moines had 642 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 2.8 times the statewide 231. It is 2nd highest of the 3 Iowa cities on this site; Davenport is highest at 652. A city-wide rate does not tell you about a single block.
Des Moines police reported 3 murders for 2025, a rate of 1.4 per 100,000 residents. The Iowa rate was 1.6 and the national rate 4.1.
931 vehicles were reported stolen in Des Moines in 2025, 437 per 100,000 residents. That is 2.2 times the national rate of 195 and ranks 78th of 351 cities on this site.