Darien, IL vs Des Moines, WA
Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.
Score Snapshot
No universal winner
Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.
Darien
75.1
#500 nationally
Des Moines
64.6
#1684 nationally
Darien leads in crime level (1.1 vs 8.1). Darien leads in median household income ($110,546 vs $81,362). Des Moines leads in walk score (41 vs 35).
Metric-by-Metric Breakdown
| Metric | Darien, IL | Des Moines, WA |
|---|---|---|
| WhereAtHome Score | 75.1 (#500) | 64.6 (#1684) |
| Population | 21,698 | 31,988 |
| Typical Home Value (ZHVI) | $463,450 | $607,792 |
| Median Household Income | $110,546 | $81,362 |
| Average Commute | 29.7 min | 30.2 min |
| Walk Score | 35 | 41 |
| Crime Level | 1.1 | 8.1 |
| School Rating | N/A | N/A |
| Cost of Living Index | 122 | 133 |
| Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored | D+13.3 | D+51.7 |
C
75.1 Score
Darien, IL
Small Illinois city with local appeal
Median Home
$463,450
Population
21,698
Crime
Very Low
Walk Score
35
Midwest
View Darien, IL →
D
64.6 Score
Des Moines, WA
Small Washington city with local appeal
Median Home
$607,792
Population
31,988
Crime
Moderate
Walk Score
41
Pacific
View Des Moines, WA →