Ankeny vs Des Moines
Ankeny, Iowa versus Des Moines, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Ankeny and Des Moines score about the same overall (43 vs 42 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Ankeny | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $101k | $62k |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $47k |
| Home Value | $282k | $171k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $995 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.77% | 1.96% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.23% | 13.64% |
| Unemployment | 2.6% | 5.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 21°F | 22°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.0 in | 36.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.7 in | 36.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 194 days | 194 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 91 days | 87 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 38.0 | 16.8 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 45.1 | 57.6 |
| Violent Crime | 802/100k | 1581/100k |
| Property Crime | 1080/100k | 2184/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 68,392 | 213,164 |
| Median Age | 33.3 | 34.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.17 | 0.49 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | D+16 | D+16 |
| White (%) | 88.6% | 63.4% |
| Black (%) | 1.0% | 11.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.8% | 14.3% |
| Asian (%) | 3.1% | 6.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.5% | 4.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 20 min |
| Walkability | 11.3/20 | 12.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 122 mi | 120 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.9% | 86.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 22.66 | 17.45 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Ankeny or Des Moines more affordable?
- Des Moines has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Ankeny's $47k and Des Moines's $47k. Median rent is $1k in Ankeny versus $995 in Des Moines.
- Is Ankeny or Des Moines safer?
- Ankeny has the lower violent crime rate. Ankeny reports 802/100k and Des Moines reports 1581/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Ankeny or Des Moines?
- The median home value is $282k in Ankeny and $171k in Des Moines, so homes are more affordable in Des Moines.