Assisted Living in Des Moines, IA
Des Moines has 13 state-licensed assisted living communities: 12 larger communities and 1 small residential home (16 or fewer residents). The median cost of assisted living in Iowa is $5,381 a month (CareScout 2025), against $6,200 nationally.
Free guide · 14 pages
Choosing Assisted Living
A practical guide for families, with checklists to take on your tours.
- What assisted living costs and the ways to pay
- Signs it may be time
- Tour checklists to print and take with you
- What residents and families told us matters most
Two kinds of assisted living in Des Moines
Both are licensed by Iowa as assisted living. Larger communities suit people who want social life and on-site services; small homes suit people who do better with quiet, familiar routines, including many people with dementia. Iowa words these licenses as “Assisted Living Program” (12), “Assisted Living Program for People with Dementia” (1).
All 13 licensed assisted living communities in Des Moines
Every assisted living community Iowa licenses in Des Moines, from state records. Being listed is not a rating: Lilisity scores only communities with verified interviews (the Top Communities). Communities with verified testimonials are listed first, then by size.
13 shown
| Community | Size | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Calvin Community AL Servicesmemory care4210 Hickman Rd | Large183 residents | $3,350 to $5,400/moLilisity estimate |
| StoryPoint Beaverdalememory care3410 Beaverdale Avenue | Large160 residents | No price or estimate |
| Addington Place of Des Moinesmemory care5815 SE 27th Street | Large128 residents | $3,350 to $5,400/moLilisity estimate |
| Rose of East Des Moines1331 Idaho Street | Large128 residents | from $930/mo |
| 3801 Grandmemory care3801 Grand Ave | Large120 residents | from $5,500/mo |
| Wesley on Grand Central3520 Grand Ave | Large118 residents | from $3,000/mo |
| Village Assisted Living2555 Guthrie Avenue | Large108 residents | $3,350 to $5,400/moLilisity estimate |
| Rose of Des Moines1330 19th Street | Large104 residents | from $1,245/mo |
| Gardens at Luther Parkmemory care2910 E. 16th Street | Large100 residents | $3,350 to $5,400/moLilisity estimate |
| StoryPoint Riverwoodsmemory care2210 East Park Avenue | Large80 residents | $3,350 to $5,400/moLilisity estimate |
| Arbor Heights at University233 University Ave | Mid-size25 residents | $3,350 to $5,400/moLilisity estimate |
| Wesley Acres John's Harbormemory care3520 Grand Ave. | Mid-size19 residents | $3,350 to $5,400/moLilisity estimate |
| Claremont's Ramsey Villagememory care1611 27th St | Small home10 residents | $3,350 to $5,400/moLilisity estimate |
How much does assisted living cost in Des Moines?
The median cost of assisted living in Iowa is $5,381 a month ($64,572 a year), below the national median of $6,200. That’s CareScout’s 2025 survey, collected July to November 2025. 4 Des Moines communities publish a starting price on Lilisity, from $930 to $5,500 a month. If more care is needed: nursing home costs in Iowa, with CareScout medians and the private-pay rates nursing homes publish. Small residential homes often cost less than larger communities, though care needs, room type and services move the price more than the building does.
Medicare does not pay for assisted living. People pay from savings and income, long-term care insurance, or VA Aid and Attendance (up to $29,093 a year for a veteran in 2026), and some qualify for Medicaid help with care costs at communities that accept it. Who actually pays for long-term care.
Free tools: how long will the money last? · home care or assisted living? · VA Aid and Attendance estimator
Three questions to ask on every Des Moines tour
From about 23,000 concerns residents and families raised in Senior Living Alliance phone interviews, the most common are about dining, housekeeping and hearing back from management.
- Can I come back and eat a meal here, unannounced?Dining was 23% of all concerns: quality that changes day to day.
- How is laundry labeled and tracked, and what happens when something goes missing?Housekeeping was 17%.
- Who is my main contact, and how often will I hear from them?Communication with management was 15%.
All 8 tour questions, with a free printable tour card (PDF).
Check a Des Moines community’s license
Iowa publishes licensing records, and in most cases inspection or complaint reports, for every community on this page. Look up any community on the state’s site: data.iowa.gov. Ask the community for its most recent inspection report too; they have to keep it.
Des Moines assisted living questions
Iowa licenses 13 assisted living communities in Des Moines as of November 2026: 12 larger communities and 1 small residential homes of 16 or fewer residents, with about 1,283 licensed spots in all.
The median cost of assisted living in Iowa is $5,381 a month (CareScout 2025), compared with $6,200 nationally. Prices vary with the room, the level of care and the community, so ask each one for its current rate sheet. The table on this page shows each community's published price or a Lilisity estimate where we have one, and our free guide lists the questions to ask about cost.
Medicaid doesn't pay rent or meals in assisted living. Most states offer a Medicaid waiver or program that can pay for care services at participating communities for people who qualify; not every community takes it, so ask each one. Iowa's Medicaid agency or your local Area Agency on Aging can tell you what's available.
Iowa publishes its licensing records at data.iowa.gov. You can also ask any community for its most recent state inspection report.