Page 3 of Best Assisted Living in Des Moines, IA

Why trust this guide? Our editorial team analyzed 27 assisted living communities in Des Moines, IA using IA Dept. of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing (DIAL) data, inspection records, complaints, amenities, and facility-level details. How we rank assisted living in IA
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We analyzed These are the facilities in Des Moines, IA our team has analyzed — not a count of every assisted living provider in Des Moines, IA.
27 homes
Other senior care options in Des Moines:
Overview of Independence Village of Des Moines (beaverdale Estates)

Make the most of your retirement years at the vibrant senior living community of Independence Village Of Des Moines (Beaverdale Estates) in Des Moines, IA, offering independent living. The community features pet-friendly apartments featuring large windows with plenty of natural light, along with convenient access to housekeeping for a maintenance-free living. The community is conveniently located near numerous parks, recreational facilities and walking trails, as well as excellent health care facilities, including the MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center.

The community fosters a vibrant living experience and social connection through their diverse array of social, cultural and recreational activities, as well as exercise, fitness and wellness programs. A talented culinary team carefully prepares diverse menu options catered to residents’ dietary needs and preferences. Amenities include a business center and library, beauty salon and barbershop, and community activity room, including a game room and lounge, for relaxing gathering spaces.

Contact Independence Village Of Des Moines (Beaverdale Estates)

Overview of Life Center

Offering excellent memory care, long-term care, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation services, The Life Center is a dependable senior living community in Des Moines, IA that helps residents maintain a sense of individuality and freedom while receiving additional support. The community features a reliable nursing team available 24-hours a day and an extensive rehabilitative program, featuring physical, speech, and occupational therapies that help residents maintain their highest level of functionality.

Residents also delight in an array of convenient services that help them live a maintenance-free lifestyle such as housekeeping, laundry, package delivery services, and more. A registered dietician carefully reviews the residents’ therapeutic diets to ensure they are receiving the proper nutrition and nourishment. With Life Center, residents are guaranteed to lead the lifestyle they deserve surrounded by compassionate support and care.

Contact Life Center

Overview of Scottish Rite Park

Scottish Rite Park is an independent living community nestled in the heart of Des Moines, Iowa. For over 50 years, this nonprofit community has thrived, offering a warm and sociable atmosphere that welcomes all who enter. Scottish Rite Park provides comprehensive healthcare services that cater to varying needs. With offerings that include memory care, long-term skilled nursing, and rehabilitative care, residents can rest assured that their well-being is in capable hands. Spanning an expansive 10 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, Scottish Rite Park boasts meticulously designed spaces and a myriad of opportunities for residents to connect and thrive.
Each amenity has been thoughtfully curated to cater to diverse interests and ensure that residents have ample opportunities for leisure and entertainment. From a state-of-the-art fitness center to a cozy movie theater, a penthouse for special gatherings, a delightful restaurant, and an art gallery showcasing captivating works, there is no shortage of options for residents to indulge for exciting small group activities. For a nursing home, this place exceeds expectations. Its team works hard to give residents the highest quality of life possible in their golden years.

Contact Scottish Rite Park

Overview of Bishop Drumm Retirement Center

Bishop Drumm Retirement Center in Des Moines, Iowa, is a 150-bed nursing home run by Sylvania Franciscan Health. The community admits short-term rehabilitation patients and long-term residents, accepting payment through Medicare, Medicaid, and private funds. The facility maintains an average occupancy rate of 72 percent, with typical resident stays lasting around 172 days.

Clinical care includes specialized orthopedic therapy and skilled nursing, with staff on-site 24 hours a day. Residents receive an average of 3 hours and 58 minutes of direct nursing attention daily, under the supervision of registered nurses who perform regular health assessments. For local seniors who live at home, the campus offers daytime adult care programs and short-term respite stays.

The neighborhood has a walkability score of 67 out of 100, indicating that the surrounding area is moderately walkable for visitors and families.

Prospective residents looking for a community that offers a full continuum of nursing care and daytime programming can call Bishop Drumm Retirement Center directly to verify bed availability or discuss enrollment details.

Contact Bishop Drumm Retirement Center

Overview of Holiday Beaverdale Estates

A residential senior living community offering assisted living and independent living choices for older adults in Des Moines, Iowa, is Holiday Beaverdale Estates. Nestled in the Beaverdale neighborhood on Douglas Avenue, it provides a residential setting that captivates seniors seeking supportive care with varying independence levels.

Assisted living here supports occupants needing help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, medication management, and meal preparation, while encouraging as much independence as possible for each person. This type of care environment typically pairs personal assistance with a residential setting that many families find more serene and personal than larger facilities. For those wanting less support, the independent living option lets active seniors enjoy community amenities and social opportunities with minimal care assistance, so it fits those who cherish autonomy and an engaged lifestyle. The Beaverdale area where Holiday Beaverdale Estates sits scores 64 on the Walk Score, indicating moderate walkability. In turn, some errands can be done on foot, but a quick drive is required for most trips. The neighborhood offers a quieter, residential character that suits those prioritizing a neighborhood feel over a busier commercial setting. Nearby family members will perceive the area as relatively and easily navigable for regular visits.

Holiday Beaverdale Estates accepts assisted living and independent living occupants, making it a flexible choice for families with different care needs or for people with possibly changing needs. For those considering the home, an on-site tour is the best way to evaluate room options, see daily amenities and activities, and discuss specific care services and pricing directly with the team.

Contact Holiday Beaverdale Estates

Overview of Azria Health Park Place

Azria Health Wichita is a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center in the city. The nursing home is proud to be one of the only few communities in the city that delivered exceptional individualized care for its unique residents. They aim to change the meaning of recovery for seniors through the exceptional level of care that is delivered by their patient-friendly staff as an approach to offer the best care possible for their residents. Azria strives to have all its residents experience the comprehensive and exemplary care offered. 
Expect nothing but quality when it comes to their service: an advanced level of recovery found in long-term and post-acute rehabilitative services. They also proudly offer specialized care programs such as neurological and stroke services, orthopedic care, prosthetic training, pulmonary rehabilitation, post-cardiac care, and wound care– all created to have the right provision of multidisciplinary healthcare services such as therapy, enriching activities, and discharge planning.

Contact Azria Health Park Place

Overview of Copper Shores Village

Copper Shores Village is part of the Immanuel senior living network in Des Moines, Iowa. The community is open to residents 55 and older and spans independent living, assisted living, and memory care under one roof.

Immanuel operates outside the federal CMS framework, which means no Medicare or Medicaid certification. Private pay is the payment model here, consistent with how most faith-affiliated independent and assisted living communities in Iowa are structured. The Immanuel brand is organized around a lifelong learning and wellness orientation, with a faith-based community identity built into the model. Programming includes recreational activities and socialization; 24-hour care is available.

The Walk Score of 42 puts this in the “some errands walkable, most require a car” range, which is fairly typical for Des Moines residential neighborhoods outside the core.

Copper Shores Village is a faith-oriented, multi-level care community in Des Moines for adults 55 and older, built around wellness and engagement programming and operating on a private-pay basis as part of the Immanuel network.

Contact Copper Shores Village

Weighting overview

  • 35%
    Resident Experience
  • 25%
    Regulatory
  • 15%
    Visual Media
  • 10%
    Website
  • 10%
    Stability
  • 5%
    Environment
01

Resident & Family Experience 35%

The single largest share of every ranking. Aggregated review sentiment and volume from major platforms — the closest signal to real resident experience.

  • Includes
  • Review Sentiment
  • Review Volume
02

Regulatory & Safety Record 25%

State inspection records, citations, and complaint visits. We weight per-inspection rates more heavily than raw counts.

  • Includes
  • State Inspections
  • Citations/Inspection
  • % Inspections w/ Citations
  • Complaint Visits
  • Accreditations
  • BBB Rating
03

Visual Media & Transparency 15%

Communities that publish high-quality visuals give families a real preview. No photos or tours = a negative transparency signal.

  • Includes
  • Video Tours
  • Virtual Walkthroughs
  • Photo Quantity
  • Photo Quality
04

Website & Operator Transparency 10%

Site quality and whether the operator publishes basic accountability information — staff names, contact details, ownership.

  • Includes
  • Website Content
  • Mobile Usability
  • Staff Info Available
  • Owner Info Available
05

Community Stability 10%

Operational signals indicating whether a community is well-run and meeting demand.

  • Includes
  • Occupancy Rate
  • Bed Options
06

Environment & Pricing 5%

Walkability and pricing transparency. Walk Score is weighted higher for Independent Living than for Memory Care, where most residents do not leave unaccompanied.

  • Includes
  • Walk Score
  • Pricing Transparency
No paid rankings Communities cannot pay to influence placement.
How we're paid: If we help you find a community and you move in, that community may pay us a referral fee. This never affects where they rank or what you pay. Learn more
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Assisted Living in Des Moines at a glance

Avg Monthly Cost: $6,602The average monthly cost across facilities in Des Moines, IA. Reflects published or estimated base rates and can vary with care level, room type, and amenities. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
National Average: $5,600
Avg Walk Score: 52/ 100The average Walk Score across facilities in Des Moines, IA. A third-party neighborhood walkability score (0–100) measuring convenience and context, not healthcare quality. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
National Average: 50/ 100
Avg No. of Beds: 90The average licensed bed capacity across facilities in Des Moines, IA. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
National Average: 90
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Frequently Asked Questions about Assisted Living in Des Moines, IA

What is the average cost of assisted living in Des Moines, IA?

The average monthly cost of assisted living in Des Moines, IA is approximately $5,300. Actual rates vary by community, level of care, and floorplan.

What is the price range for assisted living in Des Moines, IA?

Assisted living in Des Moines, IA typically ranges from $4,800–$7,400 per month, depending on the community, room type, and care needs.

What is the typical staff-to-resident ratio at assisted living facilities in Des Moines, IA?

Assisted living facilities in Des Moines, IA typically operate with a staff-to-resident ratio in the range of 1:6 to 1:12.

What's the difference between assisted living and memory care in Iowa?

Assisted living in Iowa supports residents with daily activities (bathing, dressing, medication management) while preserving independence. Memory care is a specialized form of assisted living for residents living with Alzheimer's or dementia, and adds 24/7 secured environments, dementia-trained staff, and structured routines designed to reduce confusion and wandering.

What's the difference between assisted living and a nursing home in Iowa?

Assisted living in Iowa is a residential model focused on housing, hospitality, and help with daily activities. Nursing homes (skilled nursing facilities) provide 24/7 medical care from licensed nurses for residents with significant health needs, and are regulated more strictly under both state and federal CMS rules.

Does Iowa Medicaid cover assisted living?

Iowa Medicaid does not directly pay room-and-board for assisted living, but most states (including Iowa) offer Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers that can offset the cost of care services delivered inside a licensed community. Eligibility, waitlists, and covered services vary — check directly with the state Medicaid agency.

What is assisted living?

Assisted living combines private or semi-private apartments with help on activities of daily living (meals, bathing, dressing, medication management) and a social calendar — for residents who need some support but do not need 24/7 medical care.