Key facts
- Metro population (July 2023)
- 740,131[3]
How many taxi, limo and NEMT companies are in the Des Moines area?
19 employer firms and 197 jobs across the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro in 2023, 29% of all such firms in Iowa.[1]
| Trade | Firms | Jobs | Payroll | Firms vs 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi and ridesharing | ~3 | 30 | $731k | flat |
| Limousine | 3 | 40 | $1.4m | -25% |
| Special needs transportation | 13 | 127 | $4.1m | -7% |
How many self-employed drivers work in Des Moines?
1,526 nonemployer taxi and limo businesses (2.1 per 1,000 residents), +9% on 2022's 1,398; $26.5m in receipts, roughly $17,346 a business.[2][3]
Where does Des Moines rank among large US metros?
70th of 92 metros for employer firms; 88th for limo firms per head.[1][2][3]
Which counties around Des Moines have the most operators?
Polk County, IA leads with 16 of the metro's employer firms; 6 counties make up the Des Moines metro.[1][3]
How big are Des Moines's operators, and what do they pay?
Average payroll per job: Taxi $24,367, Limo $34,225, NEMT-type $32,283.[1]
| Trade | 1-4 | 5-9 | 10-19 | 20-49 | 50+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEMT-type | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Sources
Fees and rules change. Each source is the official page we read, with the date we read it; check it before you apply or pay.
- [1] Census CBP 2023 and 2022, metro areas (read 8 Nov 2026)
- [2] Census Nonemployer Statistics, metro areas (read 8 Nov 2026)
- [3] Census metro population estimates (read 8 Nov 2026)
