Livability Score

92
/100
i The AreaVibes Livability Score evaluates 9 different categories and creates an overall score out of 100. The higher the score, the better the area.

amenities A+

There are lots of amenities close to this location.
Coffee (7) F
Blue Bean
Coffee Shop
Starbucks
Coffee Shop
Smokey Row
Coffee Shop
Cafe X
Coffee Shop
Scooter's Coffee
Coffee Shop
Starbucks
Coffee Shop
Caribou Coffee
Coffee Shop
Entertainment (23) A+
Ankeny Historical Museum
Museum
Ankeny Art Center
Theatre Arts
Ankeny Art Center
Museum
Prairie Ridge Aquatic Center
Water Park
B-Roll Bowling
Bowling Alley
B&B Theatres
Cinema
Cascade Falls Aquatic Center
Water Park
Iowa Military Aviation Heritage Museum
Museum
Food and Drink (63) A+
Dairy Queen
Fast Food
Uptown Garage Brewing Co.
Bar
Taco John's
Fast Food
McDonald's
Fast Food
Jimmy John's
Fast Food
Benchwarmers Sports Pub and Grill
Bar
California Pizza
Fast Food
Trailside Tap
Bar
Domino's
Fast Food
Papa Murphy's
Fast Food
Doghouse Bar and Lounge
Bar
Papa John's
Fast Food
Krispy Kreme
Fast Food
Grumpy Goat Tavern
Bar
KFC
Fast Food
Sonic
Fast Food
Fazoli's
Fast Food
Arby's
Fast Food
Rosati's
Fast Food
Which Wich?
Fast Food
Dunkin'
Fast Food
Little Caesars
Fast Food
Good Times
Bar
Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Fast Food
Jimmy John's
Fast Food
Fitness (4) F
Accel Fitness
Gym
CampusCycle
Gym
Balance Yoga Lounge
Gym
​Trail Point Aquatics and Wellness Center
Gym
Groceries (6) F
Hy-Vee
Grocery Store
ALDI
Grocery Store
Fareway
Grocery Store
Walmart Supercenter
Grocery Store
Hy-Vee
Grocery Store
Fareway
Grocery Store
Parks (122) A+
Ankeny Market & Pavillion
Park
Wagner Park
Park
Haubert Park
Park
Hawkeye Park
Park
Sunrise Park
Park
Sunset Park
Park
Village Park
Park
Westside Park
Park
Crestbruck Park
Park
Michael Park
Park
Summerbrook Park
Park
Horizon Park
Park
Prairie Trail Park
Park
Prairie Ridge Sports Complex
Park
Town Square
Park
Vintage Park
Park
Promenade Park
Park
Greentree Park
Park
Precedence Park
Park
Heritage Park
Park
Dean Park
Park
Ashland Meadows Park
Park
Briarwood South Park
Park
Chautauqua Park
Park
Georgetown Park
Park
Shops (56) A+
Casey's General Store
Convenience Store
Leydens Cellular
Electronics
RynoVelo Bike Shop
Bicycle
Veach Shoe Repair
Shoes
Something Blue
Clothing
Strawberry Patch
Clothing
Flowerama
Florist
Shear Intensity
Hairdresser
Satellite City
Electronics
tanworld
Beauty
Salvation Army Thrift Store
Department Store
Dollar General
Discount Store
Waxing The City
Beauty
Dollar General
Discount Store
Dollar Tree
Discount Store
Ankeny Hardware
Home Improvement
Kyle's Bikes
Bicycle
Casey's #9
Convenience Store
Casey's General Store
Convenience Store
Sport Clips
Hairdresser
The Eye Co.
Optician
Cost Cutters
Hairdresser
Ankeny Nails
Beauty
Scissors & Scotch
Hairdresser
Blond Genius Boutique
Clothing
See more Ankeny amenity data

commute C-

Of all people who commute, 0.9% take public transportation in Ankeny.
Public Transit Stops (9)
Stops & Stations D-
Hawkeye Park & Ride
Bus Stop
Mercy North Park & Ride
Bus Stop
DART
Bus Stop
Workers Taking Public Transit
0.9% F
See more Ankeny commute data

cost of living A-

The cost of living in Ankeny is 103/100 - which is 16% higher than Iowa.
Cost of Living
Goods & Services, Housing, etc. B-
Tax Rates
Income & Sales Tax D
See more Ankeny cost of living data

crime A-

Ankeny crime rates are 1,272 per 100k, which is 21% lower than Iowa
Property Crime
1,076 crimes per 100k A-
Violent Crime
196 crimes per 100k A-
See more Ankeny crime data

employment A+

The median income in Ankeny is $89,484 - which is 64% higher than Iowa.
Med. Household Income
$89,484 A+
Unemployment Rate
2.0% A+
See more Ankeny employment data

health A+

There are many hospitals, police and fire stations.
Health & Safety (28)
Dentist, Doctor, Hospital, etc. A+
Mercy Gerhart Clinic
Doctor
Ankeny Dental Center
Dentist
Langwith Hull & Roush Orthodontists
Dentist
CVS Pharmacy
Pharmacy
Ankeny Fire Department
Fire Station
Ankeny Police Department
Police
Hy-Vee Pharmacy
Pharmacy
Hintz Family Dentistry
Dentist
Bjerke Chiropractic
Doctor
Iowa Ortho
Doctor
Walgreens
Pharmacy
Advanced Family Dentistry
Dentist
Mercy North
Clinic
Medicap Pharmacy
Pharmacy
Ankeny Dental Associates
Dentist
Jagnandan & Lensch‎
Dentist
Ankeny Pediatric Clinic
Doctor
Ankeny Fire Station #2
Fire Station
Aspen Dental
Dentist
Hy-Vee Pharmacy
Pharmacy
Urgent Care
Clinic
Mercy Prairie Trail Family Medicine
Doctor
Walgreens
Pharmacy
DMOS Orthopeadic Center
Doctor
UnityPoint Health Ankeny Medical Park
Clinic
Air Quality
Median Air Quality A-
See more Ankeny health & safety data

housing A+

Ankeny home prices are $239,300 - which is 80% higher than Iowa
Home Price
$239,300 A
Home Appreciation Rate
22% A+
Home Affordability
2.7x (home price to income ratio) A
See more Ankeny housing data

schools A+

The Ankeny graduation rate is 96% - which is 10% higher than Iowa
School Test Scores
83% A+
High School Grad. Rates
96% A+
Elementary Schools (14) B-
Parkview Middle School
Terrace Elementary School
East Elementary School
Northwest Elementary School
Southeast Elementary School
Prairie Ridge Middle School
Ankeny Christian Academy
Northeast Elementary
Prairie Trail Elementary
Ashland Ridge Elementary
Westwood Elementary School
Crocker Elementary School
Rock Creek Elementary
St Luke The Evangelist Catholic School
High Schools (5) B-
Southview Middle School
Ankeny High School
Northview Middle School
Ankeny Christian Academy
Ankeny Centennial High School
See more Ankeny education data

ratings B+

Ankeny has an overall rating of 76% from 36 reviews.
User Reviews (1)
From AreaVibes B-
User Surveys (35)
From AreaVibes A+
See more Ankeny user rating data
Amenities Commute Cost of Living Crime Employment Health & Safety Housing Schools User Ratings

Ankeny, IA Area Guide

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( 36 Ratings )

Living in Ankeny, IA

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Ankeny Area Facts

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Ankeny Reviews

Write a review about Ankeny Tell people what you like or don't like about Ankeny…
Ankeny Is A Pleasant City 3.5 rating By Anonymous ( Jun 12, 2015) In the past, I have lived in Ankeny, Iowa and found the city to be very pleasant. There are only about fifty thousand residents in the area, so it is not a large city by any means, yet you don't get a small town vibe. Ankeny lies about ten miles north of Des Moines and can be con ...Read More sidered a suburb of the city.

If you want to go out to the bars or hit the clubs, you are going to have to head into the city of Des Moines, but this isn't a problem due to it's close proximity. There is good shopping in and around the city of Ankeny, but again, you will likely find that you have much better options in Des Moines and the bulk of people make the short drive into the city for the bulk of their shopping. There are nice restaurants in Ankeny and they typically cater to the pretty modest incomes that the majority of residents in the area have.

There are a bunch of great outdoor activities to partake in around Ankeny. There are some nice lakes and rivers that provide for high quality fishing and the land is completely open on the majority of the sides of Ankeny, making for great hunting. There are a lot of farms on the outskirts of Ankeny and they have a pretty vibrant community that revolves around farmers markets and fresh produce. This brings the community together and you can generally feel a great vibe in and around the city. Some people may claim that they don't like the area because there isn't a lot of action when it comes to the nightlife and partying, but that's exactly what a lot of people are looking for. There is no question that Ankeny is a great place to purchase a home and raise a family. Read Less
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Ankeny Awards

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Compare Ankeny, IA Livability

      vs

      A+ Amenities

      Are there many local amenities in Ankeny? Yes, there are lots of amenities close to this location.

      Parks

      Ankeny Market & Pavillion
      Wagner Park
      Haubert Park
      Hawkeye Park
      Sunrise Park
      Sunset Park
      Village Park
      Westside Park

      Entertainment

      Ankeny Historical Museum
      Ankeny Art Center
      Ankeny Art Center
      Prairie Ridge Aquatic Center
      B-Roll Bowling
      B&B Theatres
      Cascade Falls Aquatic Center
      Iowa Military Aviation Heritage Museum

      Food & Drink

      Dairy Queen
      Uptown Garage Brewing Co.
      Taco John's
      McDonald's
      Jimmy John's
      Benchwarmers Sports Pub and Grill
      California Pizza
      Trailside Tap

      D+ Commute

      Is public transit available in Ankeny? Of all people who commute, 0.9% take public transportation in Ankeny.
      Drive to Work
      85%

      9% higher than the US average

      Take Public Transit
      1%

      4% lower than the US average

      Walk to Work
      1%

      2% lower than the US average

      A- Cost of Living

      What is the cost of living in Ankeny? The cost of living in Ankeny is 103/100 - which is 16% higher than Iowa.
      Ankeny
      103

      3% more expensive than average

      Iowa
      90

      10% less expensive than average

      United States
      100

      National cost of living index

      A- Crime

      What is the crime rate in Ankeny? Ankeny crime rates are 1,272, which are 21% lower than Iowa
      Total Crime
      1,272 per 100k people

      45% lower than the US average

      Chance of being a victim
      1 in 79

      45% lower than the US average

      Year-over-year crime
      15%

      Year over year crime is up

      A+ Employment

      What is the median income in Ankeny? The median income in Ankeny is $89,484 which is 64% higher than Iowa.
      Median household income
      $89,48462% higher than the US average
      Income per capita
      $41,78440% higher than the US average
      Unemployment rate
      2%

      57% lower than the US average

      A+ Health & Safety

      Is Ankeny a healthy and safe place to live? Yes, there are many hospitals, police and fire stations.

      Hospitals

      Pharmacies

      Hy-Vee Pharmacy
      Hy-Vee Pharmacy
      Medicap Pharmacy
      Walgreens
      CVS Pharmacy
      Walgreens

      Doctors

      Bjerke Chiropractic
      Mercy Gerhart Clinic
      Ankeny Pediatric Clinic
      Mercy Prairie Trail Family Medicine
      Iowa Ortho
      DMOS Orthopeadic Center

      A+ Housing

      What are Ankeny home prices? Ankeny home prices are $239,300 - which is 80% higher than Iowa
      Median home value
      $239,30030% higher than the US average
      Median rent price
      $1,10817% higher than the US average
      Home Ownership
      74%

      16% higher than the US average

      A+ Schools

      Does Ankeny have good schools? The Ankeny graduation rate is 96% - which is 10% higher than Iowa
      High school grad. rates
      96%

      16% higher than the US average

      School test scores
      83%

      74% higher than the US average

      Student teacher ratio
      19:1

      16% higher than the US average

      B+ User Ratings

      Is Ankeny a good place to live? Ankeny has an overall rating of 76% from 36 reviews.
      Overall user rating
      76%

      36 total ratings

      User reviews rating
      70%

      1 total reviews

      User surveys rating
      92%

      35 total surveys

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