Canary Lofts
2530 University Ave,
Des Moines, IA 50311
$890 - $1,775 | Studio - 2 Beds
Located about five miles northwest of Downtown Des Moines, Drake is a diverse, affordable community. The neighborhood is home to Drake University, giving it a slight college-town vibe. The northeastern part of the community is dominated by academic halls and student housing, but Drake offers affordable rentals as well. Catering to the college crowd, Drake has a few casual restaurants and small stores. For more shopping, dining, and entertainment options, most residents travel into Downtown Des Moines or the East Village, which are both less than 15 minutes away. Both urban districts house offices, breweries, live music venues, and more. Check out the Pappajohn Sculpture Park, Science Center of Iowa, or the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates — the options are endless while living in Drake.
As of April 2025, the average apartment rent in Drake is $845 for a studio, $784 for one bedroom, $918 for two bedrooms, and $1,304 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Drake has increased by 2.1% in the past year.
Studio
417 sq ft
Average Sq Ft
$845/month
Average Rent
1 BR
598 sq ft
Average Sq Ft
$784/month
Average Rent
2 BR
804 sq ft
Average Sq Ft
$918/month
Average Rent
3 BR
1,061 sq ft
Average Sq Ft
$1,304/month
Average Rent
Very Walkable
out of 100 WalkScore® Rating
If you enjoy walking, you’ll enjoy renting in this area! It’s a very walkable neighborhood.
Some Transit
out of 100 TransitScore® Rating
You'll likely want a car when living in this area since it has few transit options.
Bikeable
out of 100 BikeScore® Rating
While there’s some bike infrastructure in this area, you’ll still need a car for many errands.
Former Resident
8 years and 1 months ago•Niche Review
when my family of 2 children ages 3 & 5 at the time lived on 23rd close to forest. we enjoyed daily walks. we would even go up to Drake University and let the children run around late at night just to get them worn out. all of campus security knew our family. we were sad when we had to move. Drake Campus is real inviting.
Niche User
8 years and 9 months ago•Niche Review
The crimes are usually near the neighborhood, but not in it.
Niche User
9 years and 8 months ago•Niche Review
The area feels safe overall.
Niche User
9 years and 10 months ago•Niche Review
I am not old enough to drink but some of the restaurants in this area are okay.
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† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.
Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.
Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2025.