Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Urbandale, IA

    Is Urbandale a good place to live?

    Watch Urbandale

    Urbandale ranks #2 of 19 Iowa cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (75/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 1.0% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $318,800
    +6.8% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,176
    per month
    Household income
    $113,086
    median
    Unemployment
    2.9%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Urbandale

    The median home value in Urbandale is $318,800 and median rent is $1,176 a month, against a median household income of $113,086. Homes cost about 2.8× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Urbandale crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Iowa the 2025 rate was 238 violent and 1,205 property crimes per 100,000 people — #40 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Urbandale, IA

    Urbandale has about 46,026 residents, 2.9% unemployment and 34% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Urbandale with

    Urbandale vs Des MoinesUrbandale vs Cedar RapidsUrbandale vs DavenportUrbandale vs Sioux CityUrbandale vs Iowa CityUrbandale vs AnkenyUrbandale vs West Des MoinesUrbandale vs Waterloo

    More: Where to move in Iowa · Best counties in Iowa

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report