Places › Iowa › Ankeny

Living in Ankeny, IA

Suburb in Iowa

Ankeny is a suburb in Iowa, home to about 71,000 people, with 732,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, a car is essential. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Ankeny a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $314k and rents for $1,790 a month
  • Dog-friendly: 6 dog parks within 9 mi
  • Mild summers: highs around 84°F
  • Strong healthcare: 3 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi

👎 Cons

  • Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
  • Higher taxes: about $1,192 state income tax per resident, 1.76% property tax
  • Smaller job market: about 732,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Ankeny ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
71,000
732,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
33°F / 84°F
Average daily highs · 25″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$314k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,790/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
92
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,192
State income tax per resident · 1.76% property tax
Safety
No data
Not in FBI 2019 city table
Natural disasters
10 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, tornadoes
Top-rated hospitals
3
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
53%
1 research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
DSM
14 mi away

Living in Ankeny: common questions

What is the cost of living in Ankeny?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $314k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,790 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 92, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Ankeny?

Iowa collects about $1,192 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.76% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Ankeny safe?

Ankeny isn't in the FBI's 2019 city crime table, so Best Life Fit Me counts its safety as average.

What is the weather like in Ankeny?

Ankeny has cold winters: winter days average around 33°F and summer days around 84°F, with roughly 25″ of snow a year.

Does Ankeny get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and tornadoes: 10 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.66 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Ankeny?

The nearest major airport is DSM, about 14 mi away.

How Ankeny scores

Each bar compares Ankeny with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Suburban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Car essential Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Culture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Cold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Relaxed Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Some community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Excellent
💸Low taxes Below average
💼Job market Below average
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Good
🧸Kids & family Good
🐕Dog-friendly Excellent
⛰️Outdoors Below average
🎭Culture Below average
🛡️Safety No crime data (counted as average)
🌪️Few natural disasters Good
☀️Sunny Below average
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Good

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Is Ankeny right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.