---
title: 22. Waukee, IA
description: 'Top 50 rank: 22 Population: 14,945 Waukee is one of the fastest-growing communities in the state -- no surprise given its supply of affordable homes…'
authors:
  - name: timestaff
    url: https://money.com/author/timestaff/
    articles: 459
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    former_staff: true
published: '2014-05-30T15:11:49.000Z'
modified: '2014-05-30T15:11:49.000Z'
section: Everyday Money
tags:
  - buying a home
  - home prices
  - Housing Market
  - Iowa
  - real estate
  - selling a home
  - Waukee
canonical: https://money.com/collection-post/22-waukee-ia/
type: Article
source: structured-blocks
---

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![201309_BPL_WAUKEE](https://img.money.com/2014/05/201309_bpl_waukee.jpg)
*Waukee, IA*

**Top 50 rank**: 22

**Population**: 14,945

Waukee is one of the fastest-growing communities in the state -- no surprise given its supply of affordable homes (median home prices well below $200,000) and a school district known for excellent extracurricular programs.

The town recently committed to $50 million in new development projects, including an expansion of a major road corridor and renovations to several areas downtown. *\--H.L.*

<table style="height:53px"><tbody><tr><td><h3 class="collection-subhead">Waukee, IA</h3></td><td><h3 class="collection-subhead">Town stats</h3></td></tr></tbody></table>

<table style="height:177px"><tbody><tr><td>Median family income (per year)</td><td>$87,070</td></tr><tr><td>Job growth % (2010-2012)</td><td>10.71%</td></tr><tr><td>Median home price (2012)</td><td>$179,000</td></tr><tr><td>Reading test scores (% above/below average)</td><td>12.4%</td></tr><tr><td>Math test scores (% above/below average)</td><td>10.2%</td></tr><tr><td>Personal crime incidents (per 1,000)</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>Property crime incidents (per 1,000)</td><td>12</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table style="height:234px"><tbody><tr><td><h3 class="collection-subhead">Financials</h3></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Median family income (per year)</td><td>$87,070</td></tr><tr><td>Family purchasing power (annual, cost-of-living adjusted)</td><td>$96,455</td></tr><tr><td>Sales tax</td><td>6.00%</td></tr><tr><td>State income tax rate (highest bracket)</td><td>8.98%<sup>I</sup></td></tr><tr><td>State income tax rate (lowest bracket)</td><td>0.36%<sup>I</sup></td></tr><tr><td>Auto insurance premiums (Average price quotes, for the state)</td><td>$1,394</td></tr><tr><td>Job growth % (2010-2012)</td><td>10.71%</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table style="height:103px"><tbody><tr><td><h3 class="collection-subhead">Housing</h3></td></tr><tr><td>Median home price (2012)</td><td>$179,000</td></tr><tr><td>Average property taxes<span class="smallerTxt">(2012)</span></td><td>$3,382</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table style="height:153px"><tbody><tr><td><h3 class="collection-subhead">Education</h3></td></tr><tr><td>Colleges, universities and professional schools (within 30 miles)</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td>Reading test scores (% above/below state average)</td><td>12.4%</td></tr><tr><td>Test scores math (% above/below average)</td><td>10.2%</td></tr><tr><td>% students attending public/private schools (located within town limits)</td><td>100.0/0.0</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table style="height:203px"><tbody><tr><td><h3 class="collection-subhead">Quality of life</h3></td></tr><tr><td>Air quality index* (% of days AQI ranked as good)</td><td>N.A.</td></tr><tr><td>Personal crime incidents (per 1,000)</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>Property crime incidents (per 1,000)</td><td>12</td></tr><tr><td>Median commute time (in minutes)</td><td>19.6</td></tr><tr><td>% population with commute 45 mins. or longer</td><td>4.5%</td></tr><tr><td>% population walk or bike to work</td><td>1.3%</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table style="height:253px"><tbody><tr><td><h3 class="collection-subhead">Leisure and culture</h3></td></tr><tr><td>Movie theaters (within 15 miles)</td><td>14</td></tr><tr><td>Restaurants (within 15 miles)</td><td>943</td></tr><tr><td>Bars (within 15 miles)</td><td>194</td></tr><tr><td>Public golf courses (within 30 miles)</td><td>48</td></tr><tr><td>Libraries (within 15 miles)</td><td>29</td></tr><tr><td>Museums (accredited by AAM; within 30 miles)</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>Ski resorts (within 100 miles)</td><td>N.A.</td></tr><tr><td>Arts funding (Dollars per person of state funds spent on arts)</td><td>0.4</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table style="height:153px"><tbody><tr><td><h3 class="collection-subhead">Weather</h3></td></tr><tr><td>Annual rainfall (inches)</td><td>34.72</td></tr><tr><td>% clear days in the area</td><td>55%</td></tr><tr><td>High temp in July ° F</td><td>86°</td></tr><tr><td>Low temp in Jan ° F</td><td>11.7°</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table style="height:178px"><tbody><tr><td><h3 class="collection-subhead">Meet the neighbors</h3></td></tr><tr><td>Median age</td><td>31.3</td></tr><tr><td>Completed at least some college (% of residents)</td><td>72.6%</td></tr><tr><td>Married %</td><td>67.5%</td></tr><tr><td>Divorced %</td><td>7.6%</td></tr><tr><td>Racial diversity index (100 is national average; higher numbers indicate greater diversity)</td><td>22.0</td></tr></tbody></table>

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