A- A+

Downtown Des Moines Neighborhoods

Downtown Des Moines (DSM) offers housing for every type of person and lifestyle. From brick townhomes on the river to rustic apartments in the Historic East Village, Downtown DSM features convenient living spaces for all. Grab dinner next door to your loft on Court Avenue and commute to work the next morning via the skywalk connected to your home. Or take a jaunt through the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park not far from your place in Sherman Hill. Whatever you’re looking for, you can find your home in Downtown DSM.

Downtown Des Moines Neighborhoods & Housing

Interested in finding out more about Downtown DSM neighborhoods? From the Historic East Village to the growing Gray's Lake Area neighborhood, there's a location perfect for you to connect to the community and find the perfect home in Downtown DSM.

  • Gray's Lake Area – You guessed it, there’s a lake (nestled within the 1,500 acre Water Works Park). But there’s also trails, buzzy eateries, the Arie den Boer Crabapple Arboretum and Lauridsen Ampitheater with an impressive line-up of acts. 
  • Historic Court District – At the heart of Downtown DSM, this District is in the heart of everything, with access to trails, restaurants, entertainment and the famed Downtown Farmers’ Market presented by UnityPoint Health Des Moines.
  • Historic East Village – Here you’ll find condos, lofts and block after block of locally owned shops, restaurants and services and block after block of neighborhood pride.
  • Market District – One of the newest neighborhoods in Downtown DSM, it’s dotted with townhomes boasting incredible rooftop views, access to the Principal Riverwalk and more. 
  • Sherman Hill – Historic apartments nestle against grand homes, all shaded by skyward-reaching trees. It has also been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979.
  • Western Gateway Park – Art fans, this one is for you. The John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park stands at the center of the Western Gateway and that’s only the start of this amenity-packed neighborhood.