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Living in
Urbandale.
About
Life in Urbandale
If you're considering Urbandale, you're looking at a solid suburban community that's actively growing and reasonably affluent—median household income is $113,000 and unemployment sits at a healthy 3.3%. The location is genuinely convenient if you need access to Des Moines or work in the Urban Loop business parks; most commutes clock in around 18.5 minutes. The community is family-focused with good school options through multiple districts, and you'll find 850 acres of parks plus 54 miles of trails for outdoor recreation.
Urbandale at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.8%
Foreign-Born
9.8%
Broadband Internet
94.3%
of households
Population Growth
+6.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics9.8% foreign-born, most often from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Who lives in Urbandale: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Urbandale, the largest foreign-born group is from Bosnia and Herzegovina (16.8%), and 5.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
25.3%
of residents
65 and Older
14.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
34.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
21.1%
of households
Married Couples
59.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.64
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 25% above IA average
Rent, home values, and income in Urbandale
In Urbandale, rent runs 25% above the IA average, and home values are 61% above the IA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
36.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
91.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$5,563
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
78.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1992
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $350,388 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for IA
Unemployment in Urbandale and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Urbandale is close to the IA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Urbandale 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
Commute18.9 min avg
How Urbandale residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Urbandale, most residents drive alone to work (71%), and 88% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 8 mi
Des Moines International Airport (DSM)
Small hub1.6M passengers boarded in 2025
- 113 mi
Eppley Airfield (OMA)
Medium hub2.6M 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 63% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Urbandale runs 63% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
122.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
523.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Urbandale 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 Urbandale, 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 Urbandale, 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
Climate83°F summers, 16°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Urbandale has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and very cold winters (avg low 16°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
61°/40°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
33°/16°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
37.3"
Annual Snowfall
38.0"
Hot Days/Year
18
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
135
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
112
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 13°F | 1.01" |
| Feb | 35°F | 17°F | 1.25" |
| Mar | 49°F | 29°F | 2.15" |
| Apr | 62°F | 40°F | 4.00" |
| May | 72°F | 52°F | 4.84" |
| Jun | 81°F | 62°F | 5.35" |
| Jul | 85°F | 66°F | 4.27" |
| Aug | 83°F | 64°F | 3.97" |
| Sep | 76°F | 55°F | 3.40" |
| Oct | 63°F | 43°F | 2.51" |
| Nov | 48°F | 30°F | 1.95" |
| Dec | 35°F | 19°F | 1.46" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Urbandale
Uninsured
4.7%
of residents
No hospitals inside Urbandale's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Clive Behavioral Health
Psychiatric · 2.5 mi away · Clive
VA Central Iowa Healthcare System
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 6.4 mi away · Des Moines
Broadlawns Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.4 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.
Education14.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Urbandale
Urbandale's student/teacher ratio is 14.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 51.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
51.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Urbandale (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
8.6 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 867 students · in-state tuition $18,024 · 67% graduate · median earnings $63,983 (10 yrs after entry)
Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary
10.6 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 405 students · in-state tuition $21,100 · 62% graduate · median earnings $41,000 (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 Urbandale
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Public Libraries in Urbandale
Urbandale Public Library
3520 86th St, Urbandale
Cities Near Urbandale
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Urbandale?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Urbandale FAQ
Is Urbandale, Iowa affordable?⌄
Urbandale's median rent is $1,211/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $112,795/year. Median home value is $335,500.
Is Urbandale, Iowa safe?⌄
Urbandale's violent crime rate was 122 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 524 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Urbandale, Iowa?⌄
Urbandale has an unemployment rate of 3.3%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Urbandale, Iowa?⌄
The cost of living in Urbandale is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,211/month and median household income is $112,795/year. The median home value is $335,500. About 36% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Urbandale, Iowa?⌄
The average commute in Urbandale is 19 minutes, which is shorter than 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