Here Are The 10 Best Places To Live In Des Moines…And Why
By Taylor Ellis|Published July 19, 2016
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Taylor Ellis
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Taylor Ellis grew up in southern Connecticut. She is a social boss who has worked with several major sites and brands. Follow her at taylorellisblogger.com
Looking for places to live in Des Moines that capture the character of the city and the community vibes of the Iowa suburbs? Like any city, Des Moines can get expensive. But it shares another trait with its much larger competitors. Des Moines has nearly 50 areas, communities and neighborhoods that are considered living in Des Moines, even if they do go by a different name. So if you’re not living in the heart of Des Moines itself, what’s the next best thing? Here are the 10 all-around best places to live in Des Moines, Iowa – and why they’re so great.
This small city, population 45,000, is steadily growing. Hometown to two members of the rock band Slipknot, this place is a tourist hotspot and a young family's dream. Everything you need for a laid back metropolitan life is right here.
A slightly smaller city, this one is growing rapidly and attracting a lot of young people. Apartments and housing developments are popping up everywhere! Money magazine ranked Urbandale 39th on its list of the "100 Best Places to Live" in the United States in 2007 for its safety and affordability.
It's no surprise that the founder of RandomKid, an organization that empowers young people to do good deeds, is from here. This place is known for attracting families, in part because of its strong community and great public schools. In fact, Waukee is the fastest growing school district in the state!
This may be the only place you can catch sights like this and still be living in a city. Voted Businessweek's "Best Affordable Suburb" in Iowa, this place is great for businessmen and entrepreneurs. Not to mention the easy access to a number of recreational activities.
Known for its Greenbelt Park and trail system, it's also the perfect place for easy transportation. It's hard to get anywhere in the suburbs without passing through Clive. Most of the population here is between the ages of 25 to 44, so this is a great place to get started!
Home to part of the stunning Saylorville Lake, this city has nearly tripled in size since 2000. It's the headquarters for a number of organizations, including Iowa Public Television and the Camp Dodge Military Reservation. But more importantly it was rated the 16th best place to live last year!
Now you're actually on the lake! Polk City offers affordable living at its finest, with a median family income of 72,000. This is the kind of place you buy into and stay forever.
There's plenty of fun to be had here! Altoona is home to Adventureland, Prairie Meadows Casino, and a pretty sweet movie theatre. It also scored an 82 in the Livability department, citing exceptional amenities, cost of living, and education.
A stable housing market combined with a low cost of living makes this a great place to buy a home. It's quiet and not growing as fast as the neighboring towns, making it ideal for families looking for a slower pace of life.
Not as many local amenities, but that's part of the appeal! It keeps this place nice and quiet. Crime rates are super low here, and the high school graduation rates are high. Awesome small town vibes here.
This list was based on rankings from Forbes, areavibes, and the U.S. News & World Report. So whether you’re looking for somewhere less expensive or somewhere quieter you can bring the whole family, these are the best places to live in Des Moines. Did you agree?
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