Forbes + Greater Des Moines Partnership

Des Moines was named a Best City for Young Adults, surpassing larger cities like Washington, D.C., and Midwest peers like Minneapolis/St. Paul and Omaha. Despite initially being excluded due to its smaller population, I continued engaging with Forbes editors, highlighting Des Moines' strengths. Months later, Forbes revised its metrics, and Des Moines earned the top spot. Since then, Forbes and other national outlets have updated their criteria, resulting in Des Moines consistently ranking high on “Best of” lists.