Inground pool cost in Des Moines, IA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (450 sq ft)
- $36,900 – $115,000
- Per sq ft
- $82 – $255
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +2%
- US $74,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #117
- 1 = most expensive
An inground pool in Des Moines, IA usually costs $36,900 to $115,000 for 450 sq ft. That works out to about $82 to $255 per sq ft before permits. That is within a few percent of the national midpoint, so there is little local premium or discount. Construction laborers earn a median of $24.03 an hour in the Des Moines area, 6% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 450 sq ft in Des Moines, IA, standard level
$60,400 to $91,700
About $134 to $203 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 56% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $26,400 | $40,200 |
| Labor | $33,800 | $51,300 |
| Permits and fees | $150 | $220 |
| Total | $60,400 | $91,700 |
Cost breakdown for 450 sq ft in Des Moines, IA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $16,000 | $33,300 | $50,600 | 44% |
| Labor | $20,800 | $42,600 | $64,300 | 56% |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $180 | $280 | 0% |
| Total | $36,900 | $76,100 | $115,000 | 100% |
Why Des Moines prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on construction laborers, who do 40% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $24.03 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Des Moines is 1.10 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 56% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Des Moines is at 93.7 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $35,600 nationally becomes $33,300 here (midpoint, 450 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 91.7: $90 to $280.
What nearby projects cost in Des Moines
Jobs that often go together with inground pool are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Des Moines wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (+5%) and aluminum fence lowest (−3%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,700 – $11,100 | −3% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,150 – $5,750 | +5% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,200 – $4,000 | −1% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,350 – $14,800 | −3% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $600 – $2,100 | level |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,450 – $13,600 | +3% |
Is Des Moines cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (450 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Waterloo is the priciest of the group at $81,300. Omaha is the cheapest at $72,900.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IAthis page | $36,900 – $115,000 | $76,100 | |
| Waterloo, IA95 miles | $39,500 – $123,000 | $81,300 | +7% |
| Iowa City, IA110 miles | $35,600 – $111,000 | $73,400 | −4% |
| Cedar Rapids, IA115 miles | $36,600 – $114,500 | $75,500 | −1% |
| Omaha, NE120 miles | $35,400 – $110,500 | $72,900 | −4% |
| Sioux City, IA145 miles | $35,600 – $111,000 | $73,400 | −4% |
| Iowa (statewide) | $35,700 – $111,500 | $73,600 | −3% |
| United States | $36,100 – $113,000 | $74,500 | −2% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Des Moines ranks #117 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Des Moines is 3% above the Iowa figure.
Elsewhere in Iowa
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $37,500 – $117,000 | $77,400 | +2% |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 139,260 jobs | $36,600 – $114,500 | $75,500 | −1% |
| Iowa City, IA | 93,760 jobs | $35,600 – $111,000 | $73,400 | −4% |
| Waterloo, IA | 84,260 jobs | $39,500 – $123,000 | $81,300 | +7% |
| Sioux City, IA | 75,010 jobs | $35,600 – $111,000 | $73,400 | −4% |
| Dubuque, IA | 58,470 jobs | $35,900 – $112,000 | $74,000 | −3% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Des Moines against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport, CT | 404,180 jobs | $39,900 – $124,500 | $82,300 | +8% |
| Columbia, SC | 394,200 jobs | $32,500 – $101,500 | $67,000 | −12% |
| Albuquerque, NM | 404,700 jobs | $32,400 – $101,500 | $66,900 | −12% |
| Charleston, SC | 394,170 jobs | $33,000 – $103,500 | $68,200 | −10% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Des Moines bid
Pool type
Vinyl pools are $25,000-$65,000, fiberglass $45,000-$100,000, and concrete or gunite $50,000-$120,000 (HomeGuide).
Maintenance
Pool maintenance is $80-$150 a month; concrete pools also need an acid wash every 3-5 years at $300-$1,000.
Permit
A building permit for a pool is $100-$300 and contractors often include it. Many cities add plumbing and electrical permits.
What local crews earn in Des Moines
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 4 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Des Moines the blend is 1.10.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 40%) the local median is $24.03 an hour, which is 6% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.67 and $28.91 an hour. BLS counts 3,510 of them working in the area, 86.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 30% of the weighting: a median of $30.10 an hour, 5% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $28.03 and $37.62 an hour. About 1,260 work in the metro. That is 31.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021, weighted 20%) the local median is $36.45 an hour, which is 22% above the national $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $27.92 and $36.45 an hour. BLS counts 80 of them working in the area, 2.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 3.4), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 10% of the weighting: a median of $36.08 an hour, 18% above the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $28.70 and $45.12 an hour. About 2,150 work in the metro. That is 53.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.0 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (construction laborers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $3,350 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $930. That is a swing of roughly 1.2% to 4.4% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Des Moines-West Des Moines has 404,130 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 64th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $22.67 | $24.03 | $28.91 | $22.66 | 1.06 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $28.03 | $30.10 | $37.62 | $28.78 | 1.05 | metro |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 20% | $27.92 | $36.45 | $36.45 | $29.87 | 1.22 | metro |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 10% | $28.70 | $36.08 | $45.12 | $30.67 | 1.18 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.10 | |||||
Des Moines weather and the inground pool calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Des Moines Intl Ap (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For pouring concrete, the comfortable months in Des Moines are April through October: 7 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, November and December have an average overnight low of 40°F or below.
The 40°F line is a deliberately cautious stand-in. The American Concrete Institute's cold-weather guide (ACI 306R-16) defines cold-weather concreting around an average daily air temperature below 40°F, which is colder than our test of an average overnight low at or below 40°F, so we flag a few extra shoulder months. In cold weather crews may need heated enclosures, insulating blankets or accelerated mixes, and those measures can raise a quote.
Des Moines gets about 37 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 37 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and August (5.3 inches in June). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.2 and 2.8 inches. The station averages about 22 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31 | 14 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Feb | 36 | 18 | 1.3 | Cold |
| Mar | 49 | 30 | 2.2 | Cold |
| Apr | 62 | 41 | 4.0 | Workable |
| May | 72 | 52 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Jun | 82 | 62 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 86 | 66 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Aug | 84 | 64 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Sep | 77 | 55 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 63 | 43 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 48 | 30 | 1.9 | Cold |
| Dec | 36 | 20 | 1.6 | Cold |
Des Moines: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Des Moines. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from small pool (400 sq ft) to large (800 sq ft).
Basic
$36,900 to $68,200
Vinyl-liner pool, small size
Standard
$60,400 to $91,700
Fiberglass pool, standard size
Premium
$83,900 to $115,000
Concrete or gunite, large with custom features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small pool (400 sq ft) | $32,800 – $60,700 | $53,700 – $81,600 | $74,600 – $102,500 |
| average (512 sq ft) | $42,000 – $77,600 | $68,700 – $104,500 | $95,400 – $131,000 |
| large (800 sq ft) | $65,500 – $121,000 | $107,500 – $163,000 | $149,000 – $204,500 |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $60,400 to $91,700 for Des Moines, IA is attached.
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Inground pool in Des Moines: your questions
+How much does it cost to install an inground pool in Des Moines?
For 450 sq ft, expect $36,900 to $115,000 in the Des Moines area. A standard-spec job lands at $60,400 to $91,700. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for inground pool in Des Moines?
About $82 to $255 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $90 to $280 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $80 to $250.
+Is inground pool cheaper in Des Moines or Waterloo?
Waterloo is 95 miles away. The midpoint for 450 sq ft there is $81,300, which is 7% more than Des Moines ($76,100). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Des Moines?
About 56% at the midpoint, or $42,600 out of $76,100. Materials are 44% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would average (512 sq ft) cost in Des Moines?
$42,000 to $131,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does inground pool need a permit in Des Moines?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $90 to $280 for fees in the Des Moines area (our national range of $100 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Des Moines expensive for inground pool compared with the rest of Iowa?
Des Moines is 3% above the Iowa statewide estimate ($73,600 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Iowa; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Des Moines?
The BLS median is $24.03 an hour in the Des Moines area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.67 to $28.91.
+What do basic and premium inground pool work cost in Des Moines?
For 450 sq ft, basic work runs $36,900 to $68,200 and premium work $83,900 to $115,000. Basic means: vinyl-liner pool, small size. Premium means: concrete or gunite, large with custom features.
+When is the best time to install an inground pool in Des Moines?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. September and October are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Inground pool near Des Moines
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does An Inground Pool Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Cost to Renovate: Renovation Labor Report 2026: Where the Money Goes (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = 48% of the installed price, from Cost to Renovate's mid-range 'Outdoor Living' category split. It is a category average, not a pool-specific one, so read the pool materials line loosely.