Living in Urbandale, IA
Suburb in Iowa
Urbandale is a suburb in Iowa, home to about 46,000 people, with 719,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, a car is essential. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly houses.
Is Urbandale a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Dog-friendly: 16 dog parks within 9 mi
- Safe: violent crime is 0.2× the US rate (FBI 2019)
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $309k and rents for $1,790 a month
- Mild summers: highs around 83°F
👎 Cons
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
- Higher taxes: about $1,192 state income tax per resident, 1.74% property tax
- Smaller job market: about 719,000 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 Urbandale ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Urbandale: common questions
What is the cost of living in Urbandale?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $309k, 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 Urbandale?
Iowa collects about $1,192 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.74% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Urbandale safe?
Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.2× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Urbandale?
Urbandale has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 34°F and summer days around 83°F, with roughly 38″ of snow a year.
Does Urbandale 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 0.67 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Urbandale?
The nearest major airport is DSM, about 9 mi away.
How Urbandale scores
Each bar compares Urbandale 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).
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Is Urbandale right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.