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Suburb
Des Moines

Ankeny

#5 in Best Suburbs to Raise a Family in Iowa
  • A+
    Overall Grade
  • Suburb of Des Moines, IA
  • 126 reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Public Schools
    A
  2. Crime & Safety
    B
  3. Housing
    A
  4. Nightlife
    B+
  5. Good for Families
    A+
  6. Diversity
    B-
  7. Jobs
    A
  8. Weather
    B-
  9. Cost of Living
    B+
  10. Health & Fitness
    B
  11. Outdoor Activities
    B-
  12. Commute
    B+
View Full Report Card
Ankeny is a suburb of Des Moines with a population of 56,237. Ankeny is in Polk County and is one of the best places to live in Iowa. Living in Ankeny offers residents a suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Ankeny there are a lot of parks. Many families and young professionals live in Ankeny and residents tend to lean conservative. The public schools in Ankeny are highly rated.
About Ankeny...
Population
56,237

Real Estate

Median Home Value
$197,500
National
$184,700
Median Rent
$991
National
$949
Area Feel
Suburban
Rent vs. Own
  • Rent
    26%
  • Own
    74%
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Niche may be compensated by the third party lenders and others who place ads on the website. Niche is not a lender and does not endorse the products of these advertisers. Fees that Niche receives for ads do not affect the terms you may be offered by the lender you choose. There are many additional borrowing options available.

Ankeny Rankings

Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and and expert insights.

Crime & Safety

Crime & Safety
B
Based on violent and property crime rates.
Violent Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Assault
    159
    283
  • Murder
    0
    6
  • Rape
    38
    41
  • Robbery
    16
    136
Property Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Burglary
    234
    500
  • Theft
    1,064
    2,043
  • Motor Vehicle Theft
    62
    284
Home Security Options for Ankeny
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  • 24/7 Whole home protection with no contract
  • CNET Editor’s choice winner 2018

Residents

Diversity
B-
Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
Age
  • <10 years
    15%
  • 10-17 years
    12%
  • 18-24 years
    10%
  • 25-34 years
    18%
  • 35-44 years
    15%
  • 45-54 years
    12%
  • 55-64 years
    8%
  • 65+ years
    9%
Education Levels
National
  • Master's degree or higher
    13%
    12%
  • Bachelor's degree
    33%
    19%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    33%
    29%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    19%
    28%
  • Less than high school diploma
    3%
    13%

Working in Ankeny

Jobs
A
Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
Median Household Income
$79,536
National
$55,322
Search for Jobs in Ankeny

Places to Work in Ankeny

  • Public Schools
  • Private Schools
  • Colleges
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Ankeny Reviews

126 reviews
All Categories
It’s a safe city. You won’t have to worry about much.
People are extremely reserved and proper here.
Expect to keep your outside house looking perfect.
People have what’s called Midwest nice. Google it.
Only 3 pets per household and you have to register your pets otherwise you could be fined.
Keep your cats indoors at all times, roaming animals is frowned upon.
 Keep dog poop bags on you at all times, they take animal clean up seriously.
Buying a house is not enough. Once spring hits neighbors are lining up the best home improvement workers and it’s a contest to see who gets the most repairs in. Get to know your neighbors so you have a list of such repair men in demand.
Grow a backyard garden and share with your neighbors, this will gain friends quickly.
Schools are great and overachieving. Very involved with kids and parents!
There’s no animal control so no pound and police pick up strays.
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I was born and raised in Ankeny. Not only did I enjoy all of my teachers throughout school, I enjoyed the amount of college credit I could receive while still in high school. Students are given plenty of opportunities to take take college level courses, for free, while still in high school. Over the years, I have been able to watch Ankeny grow. New stores, housing developments, and nightlife places are popping up all around!
Ankeny is a growing city - everything new and updated in most of the town. It is a fun place to live with shopping, great housing options for all income types, and great dining. There are many job opportunities and ways to better yourself through city educational programs, emphasis on physical wellness, and great people!