Des Moines is Iowa’s capital city and its largest. It is a city that offers so much to see, do, and enjoy for visitors and residents alike. It is progressive, diverse, and full of many unique neighborhoods, and friendly people. Even better, it has a thriving and diverse LGBTQ community, where all can feel celebrated and part of a community. The LGBTQ community in Des Moines is well-supported by a variety of resources across the city, including:
- PFLAG Des Moines: PFLAG Des Moines is the city’s local chapter of the national PFLAG organization, which is a support, education, and advocacy organization for LGBTQ people, as well as their families, friends, and allies. It is the largest grassroots-based family organization of its kind in the country. PFLAG Des Moines seeks to celebrate and support the city’s LGBTQ community and to create an environment of understanding so that everyone can live in a world that is safe and inclusive.
- Des Moines Pride Center: The Des Moines Pride Center is an LGBTQ community center dedicated to serving the Greater Des Moines area. It proudly offers a wide array of services for LGBTQ people of all ages and backgrounds and seeks to strengthen, celebrate, and encourage the growth of the LGBTQ community in Des Moines.
- One Iowa: One Iowa was initially founded in 2005 to advocate for LGBTQ Iowans’ right to marry, and has since expanded its mission and focus to ensuring that LGBTQ Iowans’ rights and dignity are respected in every facet and stage of their lives. The mission of One Iowa is to advance, empower, and improve the lives of LGBTQ Iowans statewide, through education, advocacy, and cooperation.
- Orchard Place: Orchard Place is a community-based organization dedicated to serving troubled and in-need youth across the state of Iowa, with a specific branch dedicated to LGBTQ+ teens. The group seeks to plan events, provide resources, and generally support and encourage each child to feel celebrated, protected, supported and loved.
- Iowa Chamber of Commerce: The Iowa LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce is an LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce serving the entire state of Iowa, including Des Moines. The group seeks to promote, support, and connect the business community across the state by providing networking, advocacy, and education, as well as supplying a variety of helpful resources and diverse opportunities to encourage business growth.
- Unity Point Health: Unity Point Health is proud to serve Des Moines’s diverse LGBTQ community. Unity Point is focused on ensuring that every patient can live their healthiest life and receive the compassionate, comprehensive care they need and deserve.
Des Moines’s Best Neighborhoods
Without question, Des Moines has so much to offer its LGBTQ+ community, and those resources are intended to reach the LGBTQ+ community throughout the city. Unlike some cities which tend to have one particular area of town that’s the “gayborhood,” the LGBTQ population in Des Moines tends to be a bit more spread out. This isn’t bad news though – in fact, it simply means that the entire city is quite welcoming.
A few neighborhoods that are particularly popular with the LGBTQ community include:
- Indianola Hills: This neighborhood is downtown, and close to most things in the city. The neighborhood boasts plenty of lofts, cafes, and trendy shops and restaurants. It offers wide, tree-lined streets, and is close to the Raccoon River, which offers an area with many hiking and cycling trails. The median list price of homes currently for sale in Indianola Hills is around $193,000.
- McKinley-Columbus Park: This historical area has narrower streets and modest homes that face the river and is also just steps from the gay clubs downtown. The median list price of homes currently for sale in McKinley-Columbus Park is around $140,000.
- River Bend: The River Bend neighborhood is located near the River. Its main thoroughfare, 3rd Street, cuts through both the business and entertainment districts in town. It has a lovely town square full of wonderful restaurants and shops. The median home list price in River Bend is currently around
While many neighborhoods are wonderful, finding the home and neighborhood that is right for you will ultimately be a matter of budget and personal preference. As a result, it can be very helpful and important to find a Des Moines gay realtor who knows and loves the city, and who can point you toward homes that might be a good fit. At www.GayRealEstate.com, we’re here to help you do exactly that.
Contact a Des Moines Gay Realtor Today
Des Moines is a city with so much to offer its LGBTQ community. Whether you already live in Des Moines and you’re thinking of moving to a new home, or if you’re planning to relocate to the area to enjoy all that Des Moines has to offer, at www.GayRealEstate.com, we’re here for you. We would love to help you take the first step toward finding an agent who knows and loves the community, and who can help you find a home and a neighborhood you’ll love. We’re proud to have a network of the best realtors in Des Moines, and we would love to help connect you with one today. Contact a Des Moines gay realtor today for a free, no-obligation consultation!