Ankeny vs Urbandale
Ankeny, Iowa versus Urbandale, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Urbandale edges out Ankeny on overall objective livability (48 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Ankeny | Urbandale |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $101k | $112k |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $47k |
| Home Value | $282k | $299k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.77% | 1.75% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.23% | 12.95% |
| Unemployment | 2.6% | 2.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 21°F | 22°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.0 in | 37.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.7 in | 38.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 194 days | 194 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 91 days | 89 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 38.0 | 40.0 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 51 AQI |
| School Quality | 45.1 | 67.6 |
| Violent Crime | 802/100k | 469/100k |
| Property Crime | 1080/100k | 691/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 68,392 | 45,591 |
| Median Age | 33.3 | 38.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.17 | 0.26 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 1.02 |
| Political Leaning | D+16 | D+16 |
| White (%) | 88.6% | 82.0% |
| Black (%) | 1.0% | 4.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.8% | 5.7% |
| Asian (%) | 3.1% | 5.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.5% | 2.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 11.3/20 | 11.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 122 mi | 112 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.9% | 93.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 22.66 | 80.50 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Moderate |
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 Urbandale more affordable?
- Urbandale has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Ankeny's $47k and Urbandale's $47k. Median rent is $1k in Ankeny versus $1k in Urbandale.
- Is Ankeny or Urbandale safer?
- Urbandale has the lower violent crime rate. Ankeny reports 802/100k and Urbandale reports 469/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Ankeny or Urbandale?
- The median home value is $282k in Ankeny and $299k in Urbandale, so homes are more affordable in Ankeny.