In the past year, the Des Moines area has become more competitive in the housing rental market, according to a new report from RentCafe.com. The Des Moines-area market had the 19th-largest increase in rental competitiveness among the country’s small rental markets. In 2023, the area’s competitive score was 70; a year ago it was 58. According to the report, 94.5% of the area’s apartments are occupied, down slightly from a year ago when the occupancy rate was 95.8%. To read the entire report, click here.