Des Moines County is located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 38,910. The county seat and largest city is Burlington. It is one of Iowa's two original counties along with Dubuque County; both were organized by the Michigan Territorial legislature in 1834. Des Moines County is part of the Burlington, IA–IL Micropolitan Statistical Area. Des Moines County should not be confused with the city of Des Moines, which is the capital of Iowa.