Urbandale, Iowa
Among the top 16% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 23% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 14% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 69% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 84% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 48% of US places
- top 9% for walkability
- top 11% for commute time
- bottom 16% for property tax rate
Urbandale is a mid-size city in Iowa with about 46,000 residents. It grades B+ for getting around and D for weather. Standout strengths include walkability, commute time, and natural disaster risk. It rates lower on sunny days and property tax rate.
Official websiteurbandale.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
freez.
v.cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
cool
cold
v.cold
66%45%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.7 in1.3 in
humid 100%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$112k89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$47kbetter than 45% of US places
Home Value$299k77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 33% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 22% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.75%better than 16% of US places
Income Tax6.00%better than 29% of US places
Sales Tax6.94%better than 68% of US places
Estimated total tax burden12.95%better than 25% of US places
Unemployment2.1%better than 67% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)22°F14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)75°F44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation37.3 in36th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall38.0 inbetter than 24% of US places
Sunny Days194 daysbetter than 18% of US places
Summer Humidity65°Fbetter than 41% of US places
Comfortable Days89 daysbetter than 68% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk40.0better than 82% of US places
Air Quality51 AQIbetter than 18% of US places
School Quality67.6better than 63% of US places
Violent Crime469/100kbetter than 67% of US places
Property Crime691/100kbetter than 62% of US places
Community
Population45,59197th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age38.940th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2658th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0259th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+1617th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)82.0%45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)4.3%75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)5.7%60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)5.2%91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.7%48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time19 minbetter than 89% of US places
Walkability11.6/20better than 91% of US places
Airport Distance112 mibetter than 31% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access93.0%better than 76% of US places
Amenities Nearby80.50better than 50% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 25% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Urbandale an affordable place to live?
- Urbandale is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $47k, better than 45% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Urbandale?
- The median home value in Urbandale is $299k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Urbandale?
- Median household income in Urbandale is $112k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Urbandale?
- Median gross rent in Urbandale is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Urbandale safe?
- Urbandale is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 469/100k (better than 67%). Property crime is 691/100k.
- What is the weather like in Urbandale?
- Urbandale averages 75°F in July and 22°F in January, with 37.3 in of annual precipitation and about 194 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Urbandale?
- Public-school quality in Urbandale is above average, scoring better than 63% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Urbandale?
- The average one-way commute in Urbandale is 19 min.
Other places in Polk County
Places near Urbandale
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)