Des Moines, IA Internet Speeds — Measured 2024
Real speed tests run in Des Moines County, Iowa during 2024 recorded a median download of 111.1 Mbps, upload of 35.9 Mbps and latency of 26.8 ms, across 1,932 measurements. That is 1.3× the US median and places it #215 of 2,425 US counties.
What these numbers mean here
The median is the typical connection, not the best one available. Half the tests in Des Moines came in below 111.1 Mbps and half above. The slower quarter of connections measured under 46.9 Mbps, while the faster quarter exceeded 228.1 Mbps — a spread that usually reflects a mix of fibre, cable and older DSL lines in the same area rather than one uniform service level.
At 111.1 Mbps down and 35.9 Mbps up, a typical household here can comfortably run several 4K streams alongside video calls. Latency of 26.8 ms is acceptable for most real-time use.
The spread of connections in Des Moines
Measured download speed, 2024
How Iowa has changed since 2020
Median download by year, Iowa
State-wide measured median, Mbps
How the big providers actually perform
Median measured download speed by provider across the United States. SignalScout does not yet map which of these serve Des Moines specifically — see how to check availability — but the ranking shows what customers of each really get.
Iowa counties ranked
| # | County | Down | Up | Latency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Des Moines | 111.1 | 35.9 | 26.8 |
| 2 | Dickinson | 106.6 | 25.8 | 42.0 |
| 3 | Lee | 103.8 | 22.7 | 27.3 |
| 4 | Franklin | 103.0 | 92.6 | 24.9 |
| 5 | Winnebago | 102.8 | 64.9 | 25.6 |
| 6 | Page | 100.6 | 61.9 | 24.0 |
| 7 | Montgomery | 99.0 | 26.1 | 24.4 |
| 8 | Marshall | 98.3 | 26.2 | 22.8 |
| 9 | Pottawattamie | 96.0 | 14.5 | 25.4 |
| 10 | Carroll | 93.5 | 41.0 | 23.8 |
| 11 | Woodbury | 93.5 | 21.3 | 61.3 |
| 12 | Mills | 92.3 | 30.0 | 24.1 |
Check a specific address in Des Moines
County figures describe the area. To look up a specific street address and compare it with somewhere else you are considering, use SignalScout directly.
Common questions
What is the average internet speed in Des Moines, IA?
Speed tests run in Des Moines during 2024 recorded a median download of 111.1 Mbps, a median upload of 35.9 Mbps and median latency of 26.8 ms, across 1,932 measurements collected by Measurement Lab.
Is internet in Des Moines faster or slower than the US average?
Faster. The median measured download here is 111.1 Mbps against a US median of 85.2 Mbps, which ranks Des Moines #215 out of 2,425 counties nationally.
Are these advertised speeds or real ones?
Real ones. These are aggregated results of speed tests run by actual people on their own connections, published in the public domain by Measurement Lab. They reflect the plans residents actually buy, which is typically well below the fastest plan a provider sells.
Which internet providers serve Des Moines?
SignalScout does not yet map provider availability by address — that data comes from FCC filings that require a registered account for bulk access. The page shows how major national providers perform, and the FCC National Broadband Map lists filed availability by address.
Check a real address
See the measured download, upload and latency for any US address, plus a Connectivity Score ranked against every county in the country.