Are you sick of being a city slicker?
Do you long for life in suburban Iowa? Where you can drive an overly-large vehicle to the store for groceries and schlep the kids around to practices and appointments without worrying about a parking space.
We do, too.
If you wanted to move out to the suburbs of Des Moines, where would you go? And how would you decide on the ranking factors to help you pick which Iowa suburb was best?
No worries. We got it all figured out here using Saturday Night Science.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
Huxley is the place to be when it comes to being a soccer mom in suburban Iowa.
So if you’re thinking of packing up your mini van and making a move to a quiet place to live in Iowa, we’ve got you covered.
Keep on reading for a detailed methodology. Or, check out the best places to live in Iowa and the best places to raise a family in Iowa.
Best Suburbs In Iowa For 2025
1. Huxley
/10
Population: 4,440
Median Income: $122,716
Average Home Price: $296,100
More on Huxley:
Huxley is located 22 miles north of Des Moines.
/10
Population: 13,610
Median Income: $94,583
Average Home Price: $275,700
More on Norwalk: Data
Norwalk is located 7 miles west of Des Moines.
3. Windsor Heights
/10
Population: 5,171
Median Income: $89,083
Average Home Price: $251,800
More on Windsor Heights:
Windsor Heights is located 5 miles west of Des Moines.
/10
Population: 24,196
Median Income: $103,430
Average Home Price: $346,200
More on Johnston: Data
Johnston is located 9 miles north of Des Moines.
/10
Population: 70,542
Median Income: $106,603
Average Home Price: $311,300
More on Ankeny: Data
Ankeny is located 10 miles north of Des Moines.
/10
Population: 46,026
Median Income: $113,086
Average Home Price: $318,800
More on Urbandale: Data
Urbandale is located 9 miles west of Des Moines.
/10
Population: 18,776
Median Income: $131,082
Average Home Price: $379,000
More on Clive: Data
Clive is located 10 miles west of Des Moines.
/10
Population: 69,893
Median Income: $84,925
Average Home Price: $286,300
More on West Des Moines: Data
West Des Moines is located 8 miles west of Des Moines.
9. Bondurant
/10
Population: 8,061
Median Income: $128,341
Average Home Price: $288,600
More on Bondurant:
Bondurant is located 11 miles east of Des Moines.
/10
Population: 26,974
Median Income: $106,728
Average Home Price: $328,200
More on Waukee: Data
Waukee is located 13 miles west of Des Moines.
Methodology:How we crunched the suburb numbers for the Hawkeye State
We have to use Saturday Night Science and look at several metrics to give you the best suburbs in Iowa. We want to measure the type of place around major cities that people arguing at a bar would say makes it the “best suburb.”
First, we had to define a suburb. Using U.S. Census data produced for the state of Iowa, we looked at every town with at least 2,000 residents, and within 30 miles of a city that’s over 200,000 people.
In other words, suburbs.
We paid particular attention to the following criteria:
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Population Density (Higher is Better)
- Unemployment Rates
- Commute Time
- Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We ranked each suburb in Iowa across these criteria from one to 27, with one being the best.
We then took the average rank across all criteria, with the town posting the lowest overall score being crowned the winner of the title “Best Suburb To Live In Iowa.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and ideal places to live in Iowa.
Read on to see why Huxley is the ‘burb with the most, while Newton is probably not the best place to live in Iowa.
Summary: There You Have It – The Best Suburbs In Iowa
If you’re measuring the locations in Iowa where there are lots to do, and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
The best suburbs in Iowa are Huxley, Norwalk, Windsor Heights, Johnston, Ankeny, Urbandale, Clive, West Des Moines, Bondurant, and Waukee.
Here’s a look at the worst suburbs in Iowa according to the data:
- Newton
- Carter Lake
- Council Bluffs
For more Iowa reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Iowa
- Cheapest Places To Live In Iowa
- Most Dangerous Cities In Iowa
- Richest Cities In Iowa
- Safest Places In Iowa
- Worst Places To Live In Iowa
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Iowa
The Best Suburbs In Iowa
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Huxley | 4,440 | $122,716 | $296,100 |
| 2 | Norwalk | 13,610 | $94,583 | $275,700 |
| 3 | Windsor Heights | 5,171 | $89,083 | $251,800 |
| 4 | Johnston | 24,196 | $103,430 | $346,200 |
| 5 | Ankeny | 70,542 | $106,603 | $311,300 |
| 6 | Urbandale | 46,026 | $113,086 | $318,800 |
| 7 | Clive | 18,776 | $131,082 | $379,000 |
| 8 | West Des Moines | 69,893 | $84,925 | $286,300 |
| 9 | Bondurant | 8,061 | $128,341 | $288,600 |
| 10 | Waukee | 26,974 | $106,728 | $328,200 |
| 11 | Monroe | 2,074 | $81,488 | $173,500 |
| 12 | Adel | 6,259 | $96,905 | $320,500 |
| 13 | Winterset | 5,384 | $69,268 | $181,500 |
| 14 | Grimes | 15,810 | $104,497 | $281,000 |
| 15 | Glenwood | 5,118 | $69,320 | $193,800 |
| 16 | Altoona | 20,592 | $87,123 | $257,300 |
| 17 | Colfax | 2,089 | $82,878 | $160,500 |
| 18 | Carlisle | 4,187 | $98,333 | $208,100 |
| 19 | Indianola | 15,918 | $78,125 | $228,100 |
| 20 | Madrid | 2,803 | $86,915 | $185,100 |
| 21 | Mitchellville | 2,557 | $78,816 | $190,200 |
| 22 | Dallas Center | 2,058 | $88,750 | $231,100 |
| 23 | Missouri Valley | 2,685 | $64,844 | $126,500 |
| 24 | Pleasant Hill | 10,796 | $86,890 | $284,100 |
| 25 | Council Bluffs | 62,564 | $64,092 | $164,300 |
| 26 | Carter Lake | 3,773 | $75,037 | $161,200 |
| 27 | Newton | 15,696 | $56,321 | $151,600 |