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
Norwalk 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 2026
/10
Population: 14,183
Median Income: $102,722
Average Home Price: $332,836
More on Norwalk: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Norwalk is located 7 miles west of Des Moines.
/10
Huxley is located 22 miles north of Des Moines.
/10
Population: 72,615
Median Income: $108,198
Average Home Price: $338,168
More on Ankeny: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Ankeny is located 10 miles north of Des Moines.
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Population: 46,595
Median Income: $112,795
Average Home Price: $349,851
More on Urbandale: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Urbandale is located 9 miles west of Des Moines.
/10
Windsor Heights is located 5 miles west of Des Moines.
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Population: 24,384
Median Income: $106,551
Average Home Price: $394,440
More on Johnston: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Johnston is located 9 miles north of Des Moines.
/10
Population: 16,366
Median Income: $120,037
Average Home Price: $348,193
More on Grimes: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
Grimes is located 12 miles west of Des Moines.
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Adel is located 20 miles west of Des Moines.
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Population: 5,144
Median Income: $71,790
Average Home Price: $310,532
More on Glenwood: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Glenwood is located 21 miles east of Omaha.
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Population: 8,560
Median Income: $135,674
Average Home Price: $330,602
More on Bondurant: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
Bondurant is located 11 miles east 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 28, 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 Norwalk is the ‘burb with the most, while Carter Lake 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 Norwalk, Huxley, Ankeny, Urbandale, Windsor Heights, Johnston, Grimes, Adel, Glenwood, and Bondurant.
Here’s a look at the worst suburbs in Iowa according to the data:
- Carter Lake
- Newton
- 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 | Norwalk | 14,183 | $102,722 | $332,836 |
| 2 | Huxley | 4,544 | $112,094 | $341,229 |
| 3 | Ankeny | 72,615 | $108,198 | $338,168 |
| 4 | Urbandale | 46,595 | $112,795 | $349,851 |
| 5 | Windsor Heights | 5,143 | $91,707 | $282,953 |
| 6 | Johnston | 24,384 | $106,551 | $394,440 |
| 7 | Grimes | 16,366 | $120,037 | $348,193 |
| 8 | Adel | 6,430 | $95,250 | $390,597 |
| 9 | Glenwood | 5,144 | $71,790 | $310,532 |
| 10 | Bondurant | 8,560 | $135,674 | $330,602 |
| 11 | Clive | 19,012 | $132,121 | $425,730 |
| 12 | Waukee | 29,236 | $101,029 | $338,880 |
| 13 | West Des Moines | 71,083 | $86,594 | $320,156 |
| 14 | Carlisle | 4,255 | $109,191 | $286,846 |
| 15 | Indianola | 16,044 | $75,453 | $309,171 |
| 16 | Altoona | 21,495 | $86,114 | $317,901 |
| 17 | Madrid | 2,808 | $89,844 | $282,388 |
| 18 | Colfax | 2,210 | $79,318 | $191,271 |
| 19 | Winterset | 5,416 | $67,708 | $289,607 |
| 20 | Monroe | 2,120 | $80,375 | $256,161 |
| 21 | Mitchellville | 2,579 | $81,172 | $270,078 |
| 22 | Pleasant Hill | 11,136 | $90,508 | $299,730 |
| 23 | Dallas Center | 2,161 | $95,854 | $308,530 |
| 24 | Missouri Valley | 2,666 | $71,818 | $229,884 |
| 25 | Rock Rapids | 2,661 | $63,942 | $253,800 |
| 26 | Council Bluffs | 62,586 | $64,578 | $223,906 |
| 27 | Newton | 15,700 | $57,771 | $200,884 |
| 28 | Carter Lake | 3,767 | $85,349 | $205,604 |