SaylorvilleMines, 1909
Ankeny’s story
172 years in pictures
Census counts: 445 in 1910, 67,887 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1909 and 4 maps from 1905 on.
- 1854Ankeny is settled
Photo: Ashton B Crew · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
77,833
2025 Census estimate · +14.3% since 2020
Typical home
$339K
+0.6% in a year
Household income
$108K
median
Median age
33.6
years
Jobs based here
32,834
Balanced
TownGrade
A
#30 of 140 in IA
What should you know before moving to Ankeny?
Ankeny's standout: the median household earns $108K. Overall it grades A, 30th of 140 graded towns in Iowa. It is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns and its schools outperform 88% of the state's. Ankeny’s trail density is 1.7 miles per square mile, above both the Iowa town median (0.3) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). On cost of living, just 13 of Iowa’s 276 towns do worse. Ankeny is home to Des Moines Area Community College.
What makes Ankeny stand out
Where Ankeny beats most towns.
A growing town
Ankeny has grown 70% since 2010
45,582 counted in 2010 and 67,887 in 2020; an estimated 77,833 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 14.3% since 2020, after 48.9% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Ankeny grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Ankeny is from typical.
Jobs & incomeA+Open →HealthBroadlawns Medical Center 8.3 miles awayAOpen →SchoolsAOpen →Cost of livingCOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 32% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.9 of 20; 1.8% of households have no car; 1.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →SafetyB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors5% conserved landA−Open →History3 notable people born hereDOpen →Civic life4.9 library visits per resident; 3.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market39 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 33.6; 52% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 19 attractions →Casey's Center and 16 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Ankeny. Close and well known come first.
10 mi Stadium & arenaCasey's Center7 mi Theme parkAdventureland
10 mi MuseumIowa State Capitol
11 mi MuseumDes Moines Art Center
9 mi Stadium & arenaDrake Stadium
20 mi Stadium & arenaHilton ColiseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Casey's Center: Iowahwyman at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Iowa State Capitol: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Des Moines Art Center: Nhandler at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Drake Stadium: U.S. Navy photo by James Woods, Public domain · Hilton Coliseum: Johannes Cater--Jaretac (talk) 15:14, 17 June 2009 (UTC), Public domain
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Ankeny: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ankeny, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Ankeny water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet10 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpHire your ownNo town pickup: you hire a private haulerTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn Iowa you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections herePolk County AuditorPolk County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2026
ZIP codes50023, 5002150023 59% · 50021 41%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Ankeny.
Ankeny trades workers with Des Moines and other neighbors and has less tooth loss than most of Iowa, but it has property taxes about twice the Iowa norm.
OutdoorsA−
Ankeny has set aside 4.8% of its land for conservation
55 miles of trail in 51 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Prairie Ridge Sports Complex, at 134 acres.
#5for trails in IA
4.8%
conserved · 995 of 20,902 acres
55 mi
of trails · 1.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hawkeye Park | 1.2 mi | 22 |
| 2. Precedence Park | 0.5 mi | 3 |
| 3. Somersby Park | 0.4 mi | 24 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsA
Ankeny’s grade for schools is an A
Its public schools are run by the Ankeny Community School District. Three of its 20 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
88%of IA districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie Ridge Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–7 | Grades 6–7 | 1,004 | A |
| Ankeny Centennial High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 10–12 | Grades 10–12 | 1,470 | A |
| Prairie Trail ElementaryTop results in townGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 526 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
HealthA
Ankeny’s grade for health is an A
Its widest gap with Iowa is tooth loss: 6.5% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 11.6% statewide.
24% of adults binge drink in Ankeny, against 20% in Iowa’s towns and 16% across U.S. towns. 27% of Ankeny adults have high blood pressure. Ankeny beats the Iowa average on 20 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3.
88%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Ankeny | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 20% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 35% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 7.6% | 12% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
20 better9 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Ankeny | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.5% | 11.6% |
| Fewer adults with COPD | 4.4% | 6.9% |
| More binge drinkers | 23.5% | 20.5% |
VA Central Iowa Healthcare System
7.9 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
93rd
percentile among IA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade C
Ankeny’s typical home value is about $339K
The median property tax bill is $5,569, against $2,897 across Iowa, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
The typical Ankeny home is worth about $339,000, up 0.6% in a year, 43% above the Iowa typical home. Ankeny’s median rent is $1,319 a month.
$339KZillow home value
| Ankeny | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,319 a month | $909 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 71% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Ankeny$339K
Iowa$237K
Market temperature
39
days on market
99.7%
sale-to-list price
+0.6%
value change, 1 year
147
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Low risk in Ankeny, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 68% of U.S. communities. Since 1993, 21 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Ankeny.
32risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
21
paid flood claims since 1993
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Ankeny, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Ankeny has cold winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 13° and about 25 inches of snow falls in a winter.
25″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–33°
Spring39–60°
Summer63–83°
Fall42–62°
Oct 15
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
About one in five working residents works right in Ankeny
Ankeny has about as many jobs (32,834) as working residents, but only 7,450 people both live and work here. Jobs based here grew from 21,227 in 2013 to 32,834.
About one in 5 of Ankeny’s working residents works in town. 20% of workers work from home in Ankeny. Since 2013, Ankeny has added 11,607 jobs, to 32,834 in 2023.
22%work in town
| Ankeny | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 20% | 8.5% | 11% |
| Median household income | $108,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 4.2% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 22% | 31% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Ankeny22%
Des Moines26%
West Des Moines11%
Urbandale5%
Ames4%
10 mi
median commute distance
32,834
jobs based in Ankeny
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 61% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
54%of U.S. towns report more crimeB−Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Ankeny1.5
Iowa2.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Ankeny10.3
Iowa12.1
U.S.15.5
54th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
53rd
percentile among IA towns
117
violent crimes reported in 2025
810
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ankeny
20pages on Ankeny
The big questions
SchoolsABeat 88% of IA districts · 20 schoolsSafetyB−1.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than IA on 20 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC$339K typical home · up 0.6% in a yearWork & commuteA+$108K median household income · 32,834 jobs hereNatural hazardsB+FEMA risk higher than 32% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
5 within 15 miles of the center of Ankeny
Des Moines Area Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · AnkenyIn town$5,790 in-state tuitionFaith Baptist Bible College and Theological SeminaryUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · AnkenyIn town$20,270 tuitionGrand View UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Des Moines7.7 mi$34,762 tuition
About 6 of every 100 Ankeny residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Iowa.
College town
Des Moines Area Community College calls Ankeny home
2 colleges in town.
Des Moines Area Community College18,993 students on campus
- Admission
- Open
- Net price
- $11,171
- Graduate
- 39%
- Admission
- 68%
- Net price
- $16,282
- Graduate
- 68%
College Scorecard · IPEDS
Famous people from Ankeny
3 notable people were born in Ankeny.
About Ankeny
City in Iowa, United States
Ankeny (, ) is a city in Polk County, Iowa, United States and a suburb of the state capital of Des Moines. The population was 67,887 at the 2020 census, and was estimated at 77,833 in 2025, making it Iowa's fifth-most populous city. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is one of Iowa's fastest-growing cities.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1854
- Area
- 29 sq mi
- Elevation
- 909 ft
- ZIP code
- 50021, 50023
- Area code
- 515
Ankeny’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Ankeny.
SaylorvilleAnkeny
How the neighbors grade
| Town | IA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ankeny | #30 | A | C | B− | A | A |
| Saylorville | #39 | A− | B | — | A− | B+ |
Saylorville reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Ankeny with a neighbor →
Questions about Ankeny
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Ankeny, IA a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Ankeny grades A overall, better than 88% of U.S. towns and #30 of 140 in Iowa. It grades A for health, B− for safety and A for schools.
Is Ankeny, IA expensive?
That is 3.9 years of the area's median household income ($85,890 across the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
What is Ankeny, IA known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Jeff Lamberti and Todd Sievers.