Iowa is 75 percent vowels, 100 percent awesome, and 110 percent the best place to raise a family in the country.
According to HomeSnacks, the Hawkeye State is one of the top ten best states in the country to raise a family, and we couldn’t agree more. The state has some of the safest, most friendly places in the Midwest to call home. And that’s why we set out to determine the most family friendly places in Iowa to call home for 2026. With many cities in Iowa experiencing exponential growth, it’s no wonder that the state is starting to move away from the agriculture stigma into the venture capital game. And, folks, that’s great news for families just starting out, for families needing a change, and for everyone’s overall bottom line.
Incidentally, Iowa is the 26th biggest state, but the 33rd least populous state. We think that’s all the more reason to raise your family in this flyover state: there’s plenty of room for your kids to run and there’s plenty of opportunity to make a difference. And if you want boatloads of good, wholesome, family friendly fun at your fingertips, Iowa is your state. Heck, you can take your family to play in Cedar Rapids’ Palisades-Kepler State Park and Iowa City’s Devonian Fossil Gorge all in the same weekend.
So, have we piqued your interest? If so, keep reading to see how we determined the most family friendly places to live in Iowa.
$106,551 median income · 38.2% households with kids
Located in
Polk County, Iowa
Johnston is a city in Polk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 17,278 in the 2010 census, an increase of almost 100% from the 8,649 population in the 2000 census. It is part of the Des Moines-West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$84,111 median income · 24.8% households with kids
Located in
Marion County, Iowa
Pella is a city in Marion County, Iowa, United States, with a population of 10,352 at the time of the 2010 U.S. Census. Founded by immigrants from the Netherlands, it is forty miles southeast of Des Moines. Pella is the home of Central College, as well as several manufacturing companies, including Pella Corporation and Vermeer Manufacturing Company.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$80,284 median income · 29.2% households with kids
Located in
Bremer County, Iowa
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$102,722 median income · 38.3% households with kids
Located in
Warren County, Iowa
Norwalk is a city in Warren County, with some small portions extending into Polk County, in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 8,945 at the 2010 census. The city is part of the Des Moines-West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located just south of the Des Moines International Airport.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$132,121 median income · 37.7% households with kids
Located in
Polk County, Iowa
Clive is a city in Dallas and Polk counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census the population is at 15,447. It is part of the Des Moines-West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area. Clive is known for its Greenbelt Park and trail system running through the entire community. Clive serves as the axis of the western Des Moines suburbs, being located between Urbandale, Waukee and West Des Moines along the major transportation corridors of I-35, I-80 and I-235. The City of Urbandale is to the north to northwest, the City of West Des Moines is to the southeast to southwest, the City of Waukee in Dallas County is to the west.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$64,004 median income · 28.9% households with kids
Located in
Mahaska County, Iowa
Oskaloosa is a city in and the county seat of Mahaska County, Iowa, United States. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, it was a national center of bituminous coal mining. The population was 11,463 in the 2010 census, an increase from 10,938 in the 2000 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$112,795 median income · 34.7% households with kids
Located in
Polk County, Iowa
Urbandale is a city in Polk and Dallas counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 39,463. It is part of the Des Moines-West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$101,029 median income · 38.2% households with kids
Located in
Dallas County, Iowa
Waukee is a city in Dallas County, Iowa, United States. The population was 13,790 at the 2010 Census; a fast growth has been measured since as it is estimated there were 19,284 people living in Waukee in 2016. It is part of the Des Moines – West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$108,198 median income · 37.1% households with kids
Located in
Polk County, Iowa
Ankeny is a city in Polk County, Iowa, United States and home to Des Moines Area Community College. The population was 45,562 in the 2010 census, an increase of 68% from the 27,117 population in the 2000 census. It is part of the Des Moines-West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is one of the most affluent cities in all of Iowa.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$75,453 median income · 30.6% households with kids
Located in
Warren County, Iowa
Indianola is a city in Warren County, Iowa, United States, 18 miles south of Des Moines, Iowa. The population was 14,782 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Warren County.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Iowa’s statewide median.
Iowa statewide median: $75,059
Iowa statewide median: $231,585
On the map
Where Iowa’s most family-friendly cities are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Iowa anyways?
To give you the places in Iowa that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Iowa, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 10,000 people. For Iowa, that meant a total of 35 cities.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best cities for families in Iowa.
The full plate
Best Places For Families In Iowa
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | % Households w/ Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johnston | 24,384 | $106,551 | $394,441 | 38.2% |
| 2 | Pella | 10,720 | $84,111 | $351,502 | 24.8% |
| 3 | Waverly | 10,494 | $80,284 | $271,473 | 29.2% |
| 4 | Norwalk | 14,183 | $102,722 | $332,836 | 38.3% |
| 5 | Clive | 19,012 | $132,121 | $425,730 | 37.7% |
| 6 | Oskaloosa | 11,504 | $64,004 | $186,483 | 28.9% |
| 7 | Urbandale | 46,595 | $112,795 | $349,851 | 34.7% |
| 8 | Waukee | 29,236 | $101,029 | $338,881 | 38.2% |
| 9 | Ankeny | 72,615 | $108,198 | $338,168 | 37.1% |
| 10 | Indianola | 16,044 | $75,453 | $309,171 | 30.6% |
| 11 | North Liberty | 21,125 | $102,102 | $307,636 | 33.7% |
| 12 | Carroll | 10,208 | $69,706 | $200,081 | 21.2% |
| 13 | Bettendorf | 39,647 | $100,495 | $328,096 | 35.2% |
| 14 | Le Mars | 10,640 | $74,701 | $275,107 | 31.6% |
| 15 | Altoona | 21,495 | $86,114 | $317,902 | 33.9% |
| 16 | Marion | 41,896 | $86,743 | $271,355 | 34.0% |
| 17 | Spencer | 11,400 | $59,667 | $193,031 | 22.3% |
| 18 | Storm Lake | 11,428 | $62,765 | $177,022 | 32.7% |
| 19 | Coralville | 23,234 | $69,144 | $256,223 | 25.6% |
| 20 | Ames | 67,669 | $60,991 | $274,367 | 15.5% |
| 21 | Ottumwa | 25,430 | $61,103 | $121,425 | 35.0% |
| 22 | Marshalltown | 27,626 | $69,068 | $173,581 | 33.4% |
| 23 | West Des Moines | 71,083 | $86,594 | $320,156 | 25.7% |
| 24 | Dubuque | 59,174 | $65,845 | $245,147 | 24.2% |
| 25 | Muscatine | 23,489 | $58,117 | $184,866 | 34.2% |
| 26 | Cedar Rapids | 137,264 | $70,424 | $204,112 | 26.7% |
| 27 | Newton | 15,700 | $57,771 | $200,884 | 23.1% |
| 28 | Fort Madison | 10,133 | $50,705 | $109,640 | 26.8% |
| 29 | Des Moines | 212,421 | $65,932 | $208,166 | 29.2% |
| 30 | Council Bluffs | 62,586 | $64,578 | $223,906 | 27.7% |
| 31 | Clinton | 24,322 | $60,230 | $127,331 | 24.0% |
| 32 | Waterloo | 67,008 | $57,480 | $143,280 | 26.2% |
| 33 | Fort Dodge | 24,827 | $60,649 | $129,004 | 23.0% |
| 34 | Burlington | 23,728 | $59,000 | $123,915 | 26.5% |
| 35 | Davenport | 100,913 | $66,200 | $187,412 | 24.9% |
Source: U.S. Census data via Saturday Night Science. 35 Iowa cities with more than 10,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Iowa
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Iowa ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Iowa are Johnston, Pella, Waverly, Norwalk, Clive, Oskaloosa, Urbandale, Waukee, Ankeny, and Indianola.
