2025 Compare Cities Housing:
Des Moines, IA vs Lake Forest, CA

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Highlights
- The median age of a home in Des Moines is 37.7% older than the median age of a home in Lake Forest.
 Des Moines, IALake Forest, CAUnited States
 Median Home Age61  Unlock42
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$937,500$338,100
 Home Appr. Last 12 months13.1%  Unlock16.6%
 Home Appr. Last 5 yrs.  Unlock48.3%57.0%
 Home Appr. Last 10 yrs.72.3%  Unlock101.1%
 Property Tax Rate  Unlock$6.8$11.0
 Homes Owned55.3%  Unlock57.4%
 Housing Vacant  Unlock5.0%11.2%
 Homes Rented36.9%  Unlock31.4%
 space
 Avg Rent For Home Or Apartment
 Des Moines, IALake Forest, CAUnited States
 Average Rent  Unlock$3,820$1,840
 Studio Apartment$750  Unlock$1,080
 1 Bedroom Home or Apartment  Unlock$2,370$1,180
 2 Bedroom Home or Apartment$1,020  Unlock$1,430
 3 Bedroom Home or Apartment  Unlock$3,870$1,860
 4 Bedroom Home or Apartment$1,430  Unlock$2,160
 space1
 Vacant Housing
 Des Moines, IALake Forest, CAUnited States
 Vacant For Rent  Unlock1.1%1.9%
 Vacant Rented0.5%  Unlock0.4%
 Vacant For Sale  Unlock0.5%0.7%
 Vacant Sold0.5%  Unlock0.4%
 Vacant Vacation  Unlock1.0%3.6%
 Vacant Other3.6%  Unlock4.1%
 space2
 Owner-Occupied Housing Value
 Des Moines, IALake Forest, CAUnited States
 Less Than $20,000  Unlock0.7%2.6%
 $20,000 to $39,9991.3%  Unlock2.4%
 $40,000 to $59,999  Unlock0.4%2.8%
 $60,000 to $79,9995.3%  Unlock3.9%
 $80,000 to $99,999  Unlock1.1%4.5%
 $100,000 to $149,99929.3%  Unlock11.3%
 $150,000 to $199,999  Unlock0.5%13.0%
 $200,000 to $299,99917.0%  Unlock20.1%
 $300,000 to $399,999  Unlock7.5%13.6%
 $400,000 to $499,9991.5%  Unlock8.3%
 $500,000 to $749,999  Unlock29.6%9.7%
 $750,000 to $999,9990.4%  Unlock3.9%
 $1,000,000 to $1,499,999  Unlock7.2%2.2%
 $1,500,000 to $1,999,9990.1%  Unlock0.8%
 $2,000,000 and over  Unlock1.1%1.1%
 space3
 Housing Units By Year Built
 Des Moines, IALake Forest, CAUnited States
 2015 and Newer0.1%  Unlock0.2%
 2010 to 2014  Unlock1.8%13.6%
 2000 to 20096.7%  Unlock13.6%
 1990 to 1999  Unlock18.1%13.6%
 1980 to 19896.4%  Unlock13.2%
 1970 to 1979  Unlock31.1%14.8%
 1960 to 19697.0%  Unlock13.6%
 1950 to 1959  Unlock0.8%10.0%
 1940 to 19497.8%  Unlock4.7%
 1939 or Earlier  Unlock0.3%12.2%
Reviews for Des Moines    53 Reviews

Des Moines is a ok and pretty quiet place but as a teen it could be dramatic because Des Moines do have is fair or violents places to avoid in Des Moines would be the  More

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Dude · 
Over 5 years ago

This city is violent, there are too many gangs especially on the north  More

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Over 6 years ago

Good for the old that like slow pace and cheap buffets. Also good for non-descript mid-westerners that don't like a lot of action. No nightlife or mountains to hike  More

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Reviews for Lake Forest    16 Reviews

I've lived in Lake Forest for over a decade, before that elsewhere in OC and also up in LA. Lake Forest isn't perfect but it's really improved over the past decade,  More

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As a retired senior who has lived in Lake Forest (formerly El Toro) since 1977 I think LF is a great place if you can afford it. When we moved here in June '77 homes  More

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I’ve lived here for 2 years. Ok, it’s more like a 4 but there are so many idiots downplaying what it’s like here and giving Lake Forest ones and twos. There are a lot of  More

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