Community, Attractions and Recreation
As Iowa's capital city, Des Moines is a hub of government action, business activity, arts and cultural affairs. With a City population approaching 200,000 and a metro population of nearly 500,000, Des Moines offers some of the nation's best schools, superb public services, and friendly, caring neighborhoods.
Affordable housing, one of the nation's shortest commute times and an increasingly diverse population, make Des Moines a wonderful place to live, work and visit. Some of the things to take in while in the city include the Art Center, a collection of fine arts; Adventureland Park amusement park; Black Park Zoo; the Des Moines Civic Center that hosts the ballet, symphony and many live shows and concerts; the Fort Des Moines Museum, is home to the Iowa State Fair; Sherman Hills Historic District features a walking tour of Victorian era homes; and the State capitol building.
Additionally, Des Moines is home to 53 city parks that offer a variety of recreational facilities including hiking, biking, picnicking, swimming and tennis. There are three golf courses, three family aquatic centers, five community centers, three swimming pools and 28 miles of trails for walking, running or biking.
As for sports, take in the Iowa Cubs baseball team of the Pacific Coast League, the Class AAA affiliate of the major league Chicago Cubs. They play their home games at Principal Park.
As of the 2000 census, there were 198,682 people in the city.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,408 and the median income for a family was $46,590.
Men had a median income of $31,712 versus $25,832 for women.