West Des Moines, IA vs Waukee, IA

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricWest Des Moines, IAWaukee, IA
Population71,08329,236
Median Household Income$86,594$101,029
Median Rent$1,237/mo$1,383/mo
Median Home Value$309,000$350,500
Cost of Living (US = 100)9292
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income41.6%32.9%
Poverty Rate8.4%7.4%
Unemployment Rate3%2.9%
Violent Crime Rate /100k147139
Property Crime Rate /100k1,529621
Median AQI44—
Good AQI Days /yr224—
Summer Highs84°F83°F
Winter Lows17°F16°F
Snowfall37 in/yr38 in/yr
Avg Commute18.3 min19.8 min
Hospitals——
Avg Hospital Rating——
Students per Teacher15.316.7
College Degree Rate54.9%58%
Foreign-Born %10.9%14.2%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+8.0%+45.7%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.