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Top 50 rank: 37
Population: 46,973
Ankeny is one of the fastest-growing places in Iowa, thanks in part to its low cost of living and enviable 3.4% unemployment rate. In town, big employers include Monsanto and John Deere, while Des Moines jobs are just 10 miles away. Ankeny also offers affordable homes (the median price is below $200,000).
A municipal golf course, 40 parks, and 73 miles of paved trails keep residents entertained. Plus, a new outdoor market and community gathering spot is in the works. --H.L.
Ankeny, IA
Town stats
| Median family income (per year) | $89,479 |
| Job growth % (2010-2012) | 5.05% |
| Median home price (2012) | $170,000 |
| Reading test scores (% above/below average) | 19.8% |
| Math test scores (% above/below average) | 16.7% |
| Personal crime incidents (per 1,000) | 1 |
| Property crime incidents (per 1,000) | 14 |
Financials | |
| Median family income (per year) | $89,479 |
| Family purchasing power (annual, cost-of-living adjusted) | $99,124 |
| Sales tax | 6.00% |
| State income tax rate (highest bracket) | 8.98%I |
| State income tax rate (lowest bracket) | 0.36%I |
| Auto insurance premiums (Average price quotes, for the state) | $1,394 |
| Job growth % (2010-2012) | 5.05% |
Financials
Housing |
| Median home price (2012) | $170,000 |
| Average property taxes (2011) | $3,488 |
Housing
Education |
| Colleges, universities and professional schools (within 30 miles) | 10 |
| Reading test scores (% above/below state average) | 19.8% |
| Test scores math (% above/below average) | 16.7% |
| % students attending public/private schools (located within town limits) | 96.2/3.8 |
Education
Quality of life |
| Air quality index* (% of days AQI ranked as good) | 83.3% |
| Personal crime incidents (per 1,000) | 1 |
| Property crime incidents (per 1,000) | 14 |
| Median commute time (in minutes) | 20.6 |
| % population with commute 45 mins. or longer | 5.0% |
| % population walk or bike to work | 2.4% |
Quality of life
Leisure and culture |
| Movie theaters (within 15 miles) | 16 |
| Restaurants (within 15 miles) | 1,079 |
| Bars (within 15 miles) | 218 |
| Public golf courses (within 30 miles) | 63 |
| Libraries (within 15 miles) | 30 |
| Museums (accredited by AAM; within 30 miles) | 4 |
| Ski resorts (within 100 miles) | N.A. |
| Arts funding (Dollars per person of state funds spent on arts) | 0.4 |
Leisure and culture
Weather |
| Annual rainfall (inches) | 34.72 |
| % clear days in the area | 55% |
| High temp in July ° F | 85.8° |
| Low temp in Jan ° F | 8.7° |
Weather
Meet the neighbors |
| Median age | 32.3 |
| Completed at least some college (% of residents) | 76.5% |
| Married % | 62.0% |
| Divorced % | 7.5% |
| Racial diversity index (100 is national average; higher numbers indicate greater diversity) | 20.5 |
Meet the neighbors
