Population 76,645 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Ankeny
Household size in Ankeny
| Period | Ankeny | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.64 | 2.51 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.58 | 2.56 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.73 | 2.55 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.58 | 2.52 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.06 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Ankeny average 2.58 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Household size has edged down from 2.64 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Ankeny
| Period | Ankeny | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.3 | 36.2 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.9 | 36.7 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.1 | 37.2 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.3 | 37.6 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.0 | +1.4 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
Ankeny is young: half of its residents are under 35.3, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults and children. The median age has climbed from 33.3 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Ankeny
| Period | Ankeny | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 10.2% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 11.1% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 10.9% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.6% | 11.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +0.9 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Ankeny: 8.6% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has edged up 1.4 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Ankeny
Renters in Ankeny
| Period | Ankeny | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.6% | 27.3% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.6% | 29.3% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.4% | 30.3% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.1% | 30.5% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.5 pts | +3.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Ankeny own their homes; 27.1% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among owners, 23.3% have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the southwest. The renter share is up 8.5 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Ankeny
| Period | Ankeny | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 7.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.8% | 7.2% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.3% | 7.2% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 7.0% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −0.7 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Ankeny: just 5.3% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 1.5 points, as it has nationally. Ankeny has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Iowa cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Ankeny
| Period | Ankeny | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1994 | 1976 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1995 | 1977 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1998 | 1979 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2002 | 1983 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
Ankeny has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 2002, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1994 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the center has the oldest housing. Of the 98 Iowa cities with 5,000+ people, only six have newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Ankeny
| Period | Ankeny | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $948 | $808 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $991 | $899 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,185 | $986 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,387 | $1,210 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$438 | +$402 | +$351 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Ankeny costs $1,387 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in the wider Des Moines area ($1,210). Rent has climbed $438 a month since 2006–10, up 46%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 27.0% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Ankeny
Bachelor's degrees in Ankeny
| Period | Ankeny | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.4% | 33.6% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 48.0% | 35.5% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 50.8% | 37.1% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 51.8% | 40.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | +6.6 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Ankeny is highly educated: just over half of adults 25 and older (51.8%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 4.4 points, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the center.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Ankeny
| Period | Ankeny | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.5% | 91.9% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.8% | 92.8% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.5% | 92.7% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.0% | 92.9% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | +1.0 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Ankeny: 98.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Only six of the 98 Iowa cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Ankeny
| Period | Ankeny | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.2% | 4.8% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.3% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.0% | 3.8% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.2% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Ankeny has been low: just 2.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 1.1 points, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Ankeny compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ankeny | 2.58 | 35.3 | 8.6% | 27.1% | 5.3% | 2002 | $1,387 | 51.8% | 98.0% | 2.2% |
| Alleman | 2.58 | 40.8 | 5.1% | 5.0% | 1.8% | 2009 | $1,401 | 52.0% | 95.1% | 0.5% |
| Polk City | 2.74 | 38.7 | 6.3% | 12.4% | 3.0% | 2003 | $935 | 46.4% | 97.9% | 2.5% |
| Berwick | 2.55 | 36.5 | 38.3% | 15.2% | 2.5% | 1979 | $807 | 17.0% | 91.9% | 8.6% |
| Elkhart | 2.48 | 42.3 | 11.6% | 12.4% | 15.6% | 2000 | $707 | 41.7% | 97.1% | 0.9% |
| Johnston | 2.80 | 38.5 | 11.3% | 29.0% | 5.6% | 2003 | $1,493 | 57.4% | 96.3% | 2.9% |
| Bondurant | 2.92 | 34.0 | 14.4% | 9.0% | 4.6% | 2008 | $1,353 | 53.2% | 97.2% | 1.0% |
| Enterprise | 2.46 | 42.4 | 11.8% | 12.7% | 15.7% | 2000 | $703 | 40.9% | 97.1% | 0.8% |
| Altoona | 2.53 | 38.0 | 12.3% | 29.1% | 4.6% | 1996 | $1,229 | 35.0% | 96.6% | 6.5% |
| Des Moines area | 2.52 | 37.6 | 11.2% | 30.5% | 7.0% | 1983 | $1,210 | 40.3% | 92.9% | 4.5% |
| Grimes | 2.71 | 35.5 | 8.2% | 27.3% | 2.7% | 2007 | $1,187 | 54.3% | 99.2% | 1.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Warwick, RI · Washington, DC · West Chester, PA · Waldorf, MD · Trenton, NJ · Troy, MI · Ventura, CA · Valparaiso, IN · Virginia Beach, VA · Rochester Hills, MI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Ankeny. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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