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Living in
Ankeny.
About
Life in Ankeny
Ankeny feels like a place caught between small-town and suburban identities—it's affordable relative to many metro areas with a median home price around $331,000, but that affordability is being tested by the relentless development transforming the area. Job prospects are solid with a 3.2% unemployment rate and a strong employment base anchored by Deere, schools, and retailers, plus plenty of professional services and healthcare opportunities for commuters willing to head into Des Moines (average commute is under 21 minutes). The median household income of $108,198 reflects a relatively affluent, educated community where over half the population has a bachelor's degree.
Ankeny at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
33.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
4.2%
Foreign-Born
4.7%
Broadband Internet
94.2%
of households
Population Growth
+14.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.7% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Ankeny: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Ankeny, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (24.2%), and 3.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
27.3%
of residents
65 and Older
11.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
37.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
26.1%
of households
Married Couples
55.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.53
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 36% above IA average
Rent, home values, and income in Ankeny
In Ankeny, rent runs 36% above the IA average, and home values are 59% above the IA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
41.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
13.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
91.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$5,569
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
71.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2006
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $338,618 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below IA average
Unemployment in Ankeny and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Ankeny is 0.4 percentage points lower than the IA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Ankeny Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area
Commute21.1 min avg
How Ankeny residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Ankeny, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 75% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 14 mi
Des Moines International Airport (DSM)
Small hub1.6M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 54% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Ankeny runs 54% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
150.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,031.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Ankeny Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 16 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
92.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Polk County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Polk County, which includes Ankeny, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 16 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $113,200 |
| 2024 | 37 | Thunderstorm Wind | $7.5M |
| 2023 | 10 | Drought | None reported |
| 2022 | 26 | Hail | $75.4M |
| 2021 | 20 | Drought | $30,000 |
| 2020 | 23 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10,000 |
| 2019 | 40 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.3M |
| 2018 | 42 | Hail | $9.2M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Polk County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Polk County, which includes Ankeny, is typically good — 224 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
224
per year
Moderate Days
139
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Polk County, county-wide
Climate84°F summers, 15°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Ankeny has warm summers (avg high 84°F) and very cold winters (avg low 15°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
60°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
84°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
63°/41°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
33°/15°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
37.1"
Annual Snowfall
24.7"
Hot Days/Year
23
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
150
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
102
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 12°F | 0.97" |
| Feb | 34°F | 16°F | 0.99" |
| Mar | 47°F | 27°F | 2.01" |
| Apr | 61°F | 38°F | 4.00" |
| May | 72°F | 50°F | 5.26" |
| Jun | 82°F | 61°F | 5.37" |
| Jul | 86°F | 65°F | 4.19" |
| Aug | 84°F | 62°F | 4.72" |
| Sep | 77°F | 53°F | 3.62" |
| Oct | 64°F | 41°F | 2.67" |
| Nov | 48°F | 29°F | 1.86" |
| Dec | 35°F | 18°F | 1.39" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Ankeny
Uninsured
3.7%
of residents
No hospitals inside Ankeny's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
VA Central Iowa Healthcare System
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 7.9 mi away · Des Moines
Broadlawns Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.3 mi away · Des Moines
Mercyone Des Moines Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.3 mi away · Des Moines
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Ankeny
Ankeny's student/teacher ratio is 15.3:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 52.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
17
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
52.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Ankeny
Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 405 students · in-state tuition $21,100 · 62% graduate · median earnings $41,000 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,543 students · in-state tuition $52,130 · 78% graduate · median earnings $78,855 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,486 students · in-state tuition $36,136 · 61% graduate · median earnings $58,718 (10 yrs after entry)
Mercy College of Health Sciences
9.6 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 867 students · in-state tuition $18,024 · 67% graduate · median earnings $63,983 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreation
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Ankeny
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Public Libraries in Ankeny
Ankeny Kirkendall Public Library
1250 Sw District Dr, Ankeny
Cities Near Ankeny
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Ankeny?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Ankeny FAQ
Is Ankeny, Iowa affordable?⌄
Ankeny's median rent is $1,319/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $108,198/year. Median home value is $331,000.
Is Ankeny, Iowa safe?⌄
Ankeny's violent crime rate was 151 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1032 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Ankeny, Iowa?⌄
Ankeny has an unemployment rate of 3.1%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Ankeny, Iowa?⌄
The cost of living in Ankeny is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,319/month and median household income is $108,198/year. The median home value is $331,000. About 41% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Ankeny, Iowa?⌄
The average commute in Ankeny is 21 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from