Getting into the city
Getting into the city from The Oaks
The Oaks trades a quiet street for a short drive into everything. Downtown, the employers and the airport are all a straight run north or west. Here they are, in road miles.
Downtown and the employers
Downtown Des Moines is about 4.8 miles north to the Iowa Capitol complex and 5.1 miles to the financial core. Principal Financial Group, a Fortune 500 company headquartered at 711 High Street, is one of the city's largest employers and sits in that core; the state government offices cluster around the Capitol, and Des Moines is one of the country's largest insurance centers. All of it is a straight run north.
We publish miles, not drive times. A road mile stays true; a drive time depends on the hour and quietly becomes a promise no web page can keep.
The airport and the freeways
Des Moines International Airport, at 5800 Fleur Drive, is 3.7 miles west. Army Post Road connects quickly to SE 14th Street, which is U.S. Highway 69, and to the interchanges for Interstates 35 and 80 that ring the metro, so the rest of the region is an easy reach by car.
By bus
The Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority runs buses on the south side. Routes and stops change, so check the current map at ridedart.com rather than trusting a route number printed here. The Oaks is renovated one- and two-bedroom apartments, one bath, with a new kitchen, a redone bath, new flooring and fresh paint, and a stove and refrigerator in every home; select homes add a washer and dryer in the unit. Live pricing is on the availability page.
Questions people ask
How far is The Oaks from downtown Des Moines?
About 4.8 miles north to the Capitol and 5.1 miles to the financial core, by road. We give miles, not drive times.
How far is The Oaks from the Des Moines airport?
Des Moines International Airport at 5800 Fleur Drive is about 3.7 miles west by road.
Is The Oaks close to the freeway?
Yes. Army Post Road connects to SE 14th Street (U.S. Highway 69) and to the interchanges for Interstates 35 and 80 around the metro.
Is there a bus near The Oaks?
The Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority runs buses on the south side. Check ridedart.com for current routes and stops.
Distances are road miles from 6209 SE 5th Street, measured with OpenStreetMap routing in October 2026. The Oaks keeps no distance module of its own, so the route planner is the source. Employer facts from Principal Financial Group and the Greater Des Moines Partnership; transit from the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (ridedart.com), October 2026.
More about living here
- Living in South Park, south Des Moines
- Shopping at Southridge, near The Oaks
- Army Post Road, the corridor near The Oaks
- Groceries and everyday errands near The Oaks
- Eating and drinking near The Oaks
- Parks and trails near The Oaks
- Schools near The Oaks
- Garages you can rent at The Oaks
- The commons at The Oaks
- The floor plans at The Oaks, explained
- How to apply at The Oaks
- Working from home at The Oaks
- What residents say about The Oaks
- The neighborhood guide
- All questions