Living in Urbandale, IA

Polk County

Urbandale is a real, genuinely affluent, established Des Moines-metro suburb -- median household income ran approximately $113,086, genuinely above even Ankeny's own already-above-average figure documented elsewhere in this project. Urbandale's population grew a real, substantial 22.7% since 2010, reaching approximately 46,026. The city hosts Living History Farms, a real, distinct 500-acre outdoor living-history museum depicting 300 years of Midwest agricultural history -- a genuinely unique cultural anchor unlike anything documented at the other three Iowa Tier A markets this record covers. Urbandale's real, direct local economy combines substantial Principal Financial Group and MercyOne employer presence with close proximity to DuPont Pioneer's real Johnston campus (honestly disclosed as neighboring rather than in-city). Housing runs genuinely the most expensive among this project's four newly-documented Iowa Tier A suburbs (Zillow average $355,748), and Urbandale's own effective property tax rate (~1.71%) runs genuinely above Iowa's statewide median. Urbandale Community School District carries a real, solid 4.05/5 Niche rating, and the city runs genuinely safer than 75% of Iowa cities per a cited source. Iowa's real, current flat 3.8% state income tax applies here as statewide.

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Housing

Median sale price$355,748

Taxes

Local effective property tax rate1.71%

Not independently sourced at the Polk County level this session. Iowa's top state income tax rate is 3.80%. See the Iowa hub page for the statewide property tax context -- do not treat that figure as Urbandale-specific.

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The tradeoffs

Pros

A genuinely affluent household-income base (~$113,086 median), among the highest documented across this project's Iowa Tier A markets. A real, distinct cultural anchor unlike other Iowa suburbs: the 500-acre Living History Farms outdoor museum. Real, solid local schools (Urbandale CSD 4.05/5 Niche). Genuinely above-average safety (safer than 75% of Iowa cities per a cited source). Substantial, real employer presence (Principal Financial Group, MercyOne) plus close proximity to DuPont Pioneer's Johnston campus.

Cons

The highest housing costs (~$355,748 average) among this project's four newly-documented Iowa Tier A markets. An effective property tax rate (~1.71%) genuinely above Iowa's statewide median -- among the higher rates documented across this project's Iowa research. A real, meaningfully wide cross-source spread on rent data this record does not resolve to one figure. No full inpatient hospital sits directly within Urbandale itself.

Who this fits

Best for: Best fits affluent families and retirees drawn to Urbandale's genuinely above-average household-income base, solid schools, above-average safety, and its distinct Living History Farms cultural anchor, plus luxury-oriented buyers comfortable with the highest housing costs among this project's newly-documented Iowa Tier A suburbs.

Maybe not for you if: Probably not the right fit for the most cost-sensitive Iowa movers, given Urbandale's own disclosed highest-among-peers housing costs and above-median property tax rate, or anyone assuming DuPont Pioneer is physically headquartered in Urbandale itself rather than neighboring Johnston.

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-27. Independent research; see individual metric entries above for source attribution. This is not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.