Western Gateway

Des Moines, IA

Background Image

Western Gateway - Des Moines, IA

Area Guide

Share Guide

A park-like hub for arts and culture in the heart of Downtown Des Moines

Artistic Great Location Outdoors Walkable Restaurants

Anchored by Western Gateway Park, Western Gateway is an artsy, park-like locale in the heart of Downtown Des Moines. Western Gateway Park is a 13-acre mixed-use green space and has attracted the attention of renters, business, and developers alike fueling the rebirth. Western Gateway Park is home to the Des Moines Central Library, the University of Iowa John and Mary Pappajohn Education Center, the Temple for Performing Arts, and the Pappajohn Sculpture Park, which features 28 masterpieces from renowned global artists. The sprawling greenspace is also a popular gathering spot hosting some of the city’s biggest festivals like the Des Moines Arts Festival.

Living in Western Gateway also places you within walking distance or a short drive of some of Des Moines’ best restaurants, nightlife spots, and entertainment venues. Western Gateway has a wide variety of surprisingly affordable rentals along with more upscale options and is known for its many loft-style apartments. Whether you’re a professional who wants an easier commute to work, an art aficionado, or simply enjoy being in the heart of the city, Western Gateway is ideal.

Transportation

80

Very Walkable

out of 100 WalkScore® Rating

If you enjoy walking, you’ll enjoy renting in this area! It’s a very walkable neighborhood.

58

Good Transit

out of 100 TransitScore® Rating

The area around this property has good transit with many nearby transportation options.

57

Bikeable

out of 100 BikeScore® Rating

While there’s some bike infrastructure in this area, you’ll still need a car for many errands.

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Western Gateway Park
  • Better Homes & Gardens Test Garden
  • Science Center of Iowa
  • Great Western Trail
  • Drake Park

Military Bases

Airports

  • Des Moines International

Top Apartments in Western Gateway

Property Management Companies

Search Nearby Rentals

Methodology

† 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.