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Sell my land in
Des Moines County.

Des Moines County has 416.1 square miles of land in Iowa. 3 mapped landscape regions meet across Des Moines County: Rolling Loess Prairies, Upper Mississippi Alluvial Plain, Loess Flats and Till Plains.

A local understanding of the land. A straightforward conversation about what comes next.

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Larry G · “The Land Buyer”40+ years in real estate
The historic Des Moines County Courthouse (built 1940), located at 513 North Main Street in Burlington, Iowa, United States, is listed on the US National Register of Historic Places.
A VIEW OF THE AREA

The historic Des Moines County Courthouse (built 1940), located at 513 North Main Street in Burlington, Iowa, United States, is listed on the US National Register of Historic Places.

Photo & credit
THE SETTINGRolling Loess Prairies
COMMUNITIES IN THE ATLAS11 listed localities
YOUR STARTING POINTOpen Des Moines County on the map

THE DES MOINES COUNTY LAND BRIEF

Land in the
Rolling Loess Prairies setting.

Des Moines County has 416.1 square miles of land in Iowa. 3 mapped landscape regions meet across Des Moines County: Rolling Loess Prairies, Upper Mississippi Alluvial Plain, Loess Flats and Till Plains.

Glacial till plains and windblown loess hills make up the Western Corn Belt landscape. Near-level and rolling terrain are interspersed with steeper river valleys and hills.

Regional context: Western Corn Belt Plains ↗ · Regional mapping across the county footprint

Where the landscape changes

Des Moines County intersects 3 mapped regional units. The largest mapped shares are:

  1. Rolling Loess Prairies77.8%
  2. Upper Mississippi Alluvial Plain19%
  3. Loess Flats and Till Plains3.1%
Percent of the county footprint covered by the regional layer, which covers approximately 100% of its cartographic area. Regional units do not define individual parcels.

Interior River Valleys and Hills in Des Moines County

Broad terraced river valleys contrast with wooded slopes and dissected glacial plains. Bottomland settings and upland oak landscapes occur close together across the Interior River Valleys and Hills.

Read the regional source ↗

Central Irregular Plains in Des Moines County

Irregular plains form a transition between northern agricultural country and more wooded uplands to the south and east. Grassland and forest historically mixed, with wider woodland belts beside streams.

Read the regional source ↗

Finding your parcel within Des Moines County

The atlas lists 11 cities, towns, townships, and Census communities associated with Des Moines County, including Burlington, West Burlington, Beaverdale. The list includes overlapping geography types and does not divide the county into exclusive service areas.

Des Moines County

Des Moines County by land and water

The Census records 13.6 square miles of water within Des Moines County, or 3.2% of its total area. That share is close to Des Moines County’s 3.2%. This is geographic context; waterfront status and usable land must be checked at the parcel.

For scale, Des Moines County has 186 times the land area of nearby Sperry CDP (2.24 square miles). These areas describe boundaries, not comparable property prices.

The Census boundary meets Henry County, Lee County, Louisa County within Iowa. A tract near one of these lines should be matched to the county identifier on its own records.

FROM LOCAL CONTEXT TO YOUR PARCEL

Three questions for
Des Moines County land.

These starting questions follow this location’s jurisdiction, regional setting, and nearby geography. The answers come from the property itself.

01

Locate the parcel within Des Moines County

Use a tax bill, deed, or assessor’s parcel number to pin down the land in Des Moines County. The county includes 11 listed community geographies; a nearby community name does not prove the parcel is inside its limits.

02

Read the Rolling Loess Prairies setting

Rolling Loess Prairies belongs to Western Corn Belt Plains. Is the parcel on a till plain, loess hill or valley edge, and what existing drainage and access documentation is available? The wider county also reaches Interior River Valleys and Hills and Central Irregular Plains; use the parcel’s location to choose the relevant setting.

03

Check the route, beyond Sperry

Sperry is 3.5 miles north of the Des Moines County reference point. That geographic proximity does not establish a drivable route or legal access. Which road reaches your land, and is the right to use it recorded?

OPEN THE RIGHT MAP. FIND THE RIGHT RECORD.

Des Moines County resources,
ready to explore.

The topographic link opens at this location’s reference point. Government links identify the actual named jurisdiction in the Census directory.

MAP CENTERED ON DES MOINES COUNTY

USGS National Map

Begin at 40.9153° N, 91.1869° W. Locate your parcel and inspect the available terrain and geographic layers.

Explore Des Moines County ↗CENSUS-LISTED GOVERNMENT WEBSITE

County Of Des Moines

Use this county government’s site to identify the relevant office and its current instructions. Confirm that it administers the record or land-use question for your parcel.

Open County Of Des Moines ↗THIS GEOGRAPHY’S CENSUS PROFILE

Des Moines County data

View Census information selected by this county’s geographic identifier. Available statistics depend on the geography and survey.

View the geography profile ↗THE REGIONAL MAP SOURCE

Rolling Loess Prairies

Explore the agency mapping behind the Western Corn Belt Plains context in this guide. Use the detailed map to identify the unit at your actual property.

View regional mapping ↗
Additional Iowa landowner resources

Iowa floodplain mapping

DNR floodplain-map resources, including statewide mapping initiatives.

Iowa well logs and reports

DNR guidance for finding well-construction, geology, and water information.

FEMA flood mapsUSDA Web Soil SurveyWetlands mapper

PLACES, DISTANCES & CONNECTIONS

The communities of Des Moines County.

Sperry lies about 3.5 miles north of Des Moines County by reference-point distance. The diagram locates nearby community reference points within the county geography.

WITHIN THE COUNTY GEOGRAPHY

Des Moines County in context

NSEWSperry · 3.5 miles1Beaverdale · 4.7 miles2West Burlington · 6.5 miles3Mediapolis · 6.5 miles4Middletown · 7.2 miles5Danville · 7.7 miles6OUTER RING: 7.7 MILES
  1. 1
    Sperry3.5 mi · census-designated place
  2. 2
    Beaverdale4.7 mi · census-designated place
  3. 3
    West Burlington6.5 mi · city
  4. 4
    Mediapolis6.5 mi · city
  5. 5
    Middletown7.2 mi · city
  6. 6
    Danville7.7 mi · city
Positions are calculated from Census reference points. Crowded labels use a leader line to their exact dot. Straight-line distances within Iowa; no roads, travel times, or service boundaries are implied.
Augustacensus-designated place
Beaverdalecensus-designated place
Burlingtoncity
Danvillecity
Kingstoncensus-designated place
Mediapoliscity
Middletowncity
Oak Hillscensus-designated place
Sperrycensus-designated place
West Burlingtoncity
Yarmouthcensus-designated place
Browse all 11 communities
Explore IowaSearch another location

QUESTIONS GROUNDED IN THIS PLACE

Your Des Moines County
land questions.

Have a tax bill, an inherited deed, or simply a map pin? Start with what you have.

What should I send for land in Des Moines County?+

Send the parcel number or legal description, approximate acreage, and a map pin showing the property in Des Moines County. Des Moines County’s 416.1 square miles of land include many different property situations; the exact parcel is what we review.

Does Rolling Loess Prairies describe all of Des Moines County?+

The county’s mapped footprint intersects 3 regional units; Rolling Loess Prairies is the largest mapped share. County-scale information cannot establish the soil, slope, drainage, or development potential of one tract.

Can I use Sperry as a reference for my land?+

It can help explain the location: its Census point is about 3.5 miles north of Des Moines County’s. That distance is not a driving route, utility connection, or comparable-sale adjustment. Share the actual access road and parcel records so we can review your property on its own facts.

Can I request an offer without being near Des Moines County?+

Yes. Begin online with the property location and ownership details. Tell Larry G and the team what you know about the land, access, and any co-owners. We review the parcel before deciding whether to propose a purchase; if a sale moves forward, the closing company can explain remote signing arrangements.

Sources for this guide. 2025 U.S. Census geography supplies local names, area measurements, reference points, and map boundaries. Regional context uses EPA Level IV ecoregions mapping. Government links come from the Census 2026 Government Units Listing and are not individually certified by USA Land Offers. Read the mapping methods, coverage, and source details →

This guide describes a service area, not a local office. Maps and regional facts do not establish an individual parcel’s boundaries, permitted use, risk, or value.

GREAT LAND. GOOD PEOPLE.

Your land in Des Moines County.
Your next chapter.

Tell Larry G and the team what you own and what you have in mind. Start with a free property review and a straightforward conversation.

No obligation to sell 40+ years in real estate
Request my cash offer(855) 956-2650