How far is Des Moines from the ocean?
Des Moines is a long way from the sea: the nearest coastline is 810 miles (1,303 km) away in a straight line. The nearest stretch of coast is in Mississippi, United States.
To the coast
810 miles
1,303 km · straight line
Nearest land border
456 miles
with Canada
Setting
Far inland
11th farthest from the ocean of 861 cities
Des MoinesNearest point on the coast
How far are you from the ocean?
Measure from where you are standing. On a phone this uses GPS, so the answer is for your exact spot, not the city centre.
Des Moines at a glance
- Coordinates
- 41.6005° N, 93.6091° W
- Region
- Iowa, United States
- Distance to the coast
- 810 miles (1,303 km), in a straight line
- Nearest point on the coast
- 30.3713° N, 89.3502° W (Mississippi, United States)
- Nearest land border
- 456 miles (734 km), with Canada
- Among United States's cities
- 2nd farthest from the ocean of the 300 cities measured
Nearby cities and the coast
| City | Country | To the coast |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids | United States | 795 miles (1,279 km) |
| Omaha | United States | 792 miles (1,275 km) |
| Lincoln | United States | 765 miles (1,232 km) |
| Rochester | United States | 756 miles (1,216 km) |
| Independence | United States | 640 miles (1,030 km) |
| Kansas City | United States | 641 miles (1,032 km) |
Explore United States
Questions
How far is Des Moines from the ocean?
Des Moines is a long way from the sea: the nearest coastline is 810 miles (1,303 km) away in a straight line. The nearest stretch of coast is in Mississippi, United States.
Is that the driving distance?
No. 810 miles (1,303 km) is the straight-line distance from the city centre to the nearest point on the shore. The drive to a beach is longer, often much longer, and depends on the roads.
How far is Des Moines from the nearest border?
Des Moines is 456 miles (734 km) from the nearest land border, with Canada, in a straight line.
Where in Des Moines is this measured from?
From the city's centre point (41.6005° N, 93.6091° W). A large city spreads out, so some neighbourhoods are closer to the ocean than this and some farther. For an exact figure from where you are, use your own location.
Measured by MapGO on October 19, 2026 with the same coastline data as the distance to coastline calculator. All distances are straight lines over the Earth's surface.