Des Moines, Washington
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Image:Des Moines WA Flag.gif Des Moines is a city located in King County, Washington, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 29,267.
Des Moines is located on the east shore of Puget Sound, approximately halfway between the major cities of Seattle and Tacoma. The city is bordered by the suburbs of Federal Way to the south, Kent to the east, SeaTac to the northeast, Burien to the north, and Normandy Park to the northwest. It is one of the few points along this shoreline where the topography facilitates access to the water, and a recreational marina operated by the city, with moorage, boat launching and pier fishing facilities, is located there. Forested Saltwater State Park on a steep ravine between the Zenith and Redondo neighborhoods is the most-used State Park on the Sound. Near the boarder of Federal Way, Redondo Beach has a board-walk complete with a Salty's resturant and a pay parking lot. The town is also home to Highline Community College.
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History
Des Moines was officially incorporated on June 17, 1959.
Geography
Image:Des Moines in King County.PNGDes Moines is located at 47°23'39" North, 122°19'5" West (47.394120, -122.317983)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.4 km² (6.3 mi²). 16.4 km² (6.3 mi²) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.
Most of the city rolls gently down to the waters of Puget Sound from an elevation of about 400 ft along the eastern city boundary on Pacific Highway, allowing many homes to enjoy an unobstructed view of the sound and Vashon Island. The ravines of Des Moines Creek and Massey Creek deeply incise this broad slope.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 29,267 people, 11,337 households, and 7,289 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,782.3/km² (4,616.5/mi²). There were 11,777 housing units at an average density of 717.2/km² (1,857.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 74.15% White, 7.20% African American, 0.96% Native American, 8.28% Asian, 1.34% Pacific Islander, 3.32% from other races, and 4.76% from two or more races. 6.61% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 11,337 households out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.8% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $48,971, and the median income for a family was $57,003. Males had a median income of $40,007 versus $30,553 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,127. 7.6% of the population and 5.6% of families were below the poverty line. 9.6% of those under the age of 18 and 2.8% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Trivia
The "s" at the end of "Moines" is silent and does not have a "z" sound, but some Des Moines natives can be identified by their improper (but traditional) pronunciation of the name.