Best Neighborhoods in Urbandale, IA

Urbandale has quietly become one of the most consistently recommended places to live in Iowa — and the reasons have very little to do with flash. Sitting at the intersection of Interstates 35 and 80 in the northwest corner of the Des Moines metro, Urbandale offers something the newer suburbs ringing the metro are still working toward: maturity. Tree-lined streets that took forty years to grow in. A commercial spine along 86th Street and Douglas Avenue that already has everything. More than 800 acres of parkland and a trail network that connects to the entire regional system. And housing that spans from $200,000 starter ranches to $700,000 executive builds, all inside the same city limits.

Urbandale is not a single-character city. The Douglas Avenue corridor around 70th Street is the original streetcar town, platted in 1907 and now the focus of an ambitious 20-year downtown revitalization plan. The 86th Street and Walnut Creek areas are established mid-century Urbandale — mature lots, big trees, and the kind of neighborhood stability that new construction can't manufacture. Head west past 142nd Street and you're in a completely different city: new subdivisions, new elementary schools, and in some cases an entirely different school district. Each area serves a different buyer, and understanding those differences is what this guide is built to help you do.

Below you'll find in-depth profiles of the six best neighborhoods and corridors in Urbandale, with honest data on what homes and rentals cost, what safety looks like, what you'll have access to day-to-day, and who each area tends to suit best. We've also included a dedicated section on self storage, since Urbandale households — with their garages, gear, and constant metro-to-metro moves — generate more overflow than most people plan for.

Quick Facts: Urbandale at a Glance

• Population: ~46,500 (city proper); ~750,000 (Des Moines–West Des Moines metro)
• Founded: Platted 1907 as a streetcar suburb along the interurban rail line; incorporated 1917
• Climate: Humid continental; hot, humid summers and cold, snowy winters with significant temperature swings
• Primary employers: Marsh & McLennan Agency, Urbandale Community School District, John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group, Crescent Electric, Source Allies, plus the broader metro's insurance and financial services sector
• Median home price: ~$356,000 average home value (Zillow, mid-2026); median sale price around $385,000 (Redfin)
• Cost of living: Near the national average overall, with housing the primary driver — well above the Iowa statewide median of roughly $253,000
• Safest areas: Southwest and west Urbandale record the fewest total incidents; the city overall is safer than roughly 79% of U.S. cities per AreaVibes
• School districts: Primarily Urbandale Community School District, with portions in Johnston, West Des Moines, and Waukee districts
• Walk Score: 32 — car-dependent citywide, though the Douglas Avenue corridor is changing

Quick Facts: Renting in Urbandale

• Average 1BR rent: $880–$1,050/month
• Average 2BR rent: $1,000–$1,075/month
• Average studio rent: $660–$780/month
• Rent vs. national average: Roughly 35–40% below the national median — one of the strongest rent-to-income ratios in any metro suburb of comparable quality
• Year-over-year rent change: Down approximately 2% (rents have softened modestly as new metro supply delivered)
• Owner vs. renter split: Roughly 78% owner-occupied, 22% renter-occupied
• Most rental inventory: Two-bedroom units account for the majority of the market; studio and one-bedroom stock is comparatively thin
• Seasonal note: Central Iowa's rental market peaks in late spring and summer. Winter searches mean fewer options but better negotiating room

Table of Contents

1. Urbandale Housing & Rental Market Overview
2. Downtown Urbandale & the Douglas Avenue Corridor — Most Historic, Most Walkable
3. Walnut Creek & the 86th Street Corridor — Best Established Neighborhood
4. Meredith Drive & North Urbandale — Best for Families
5. Northwest Urbandale (142nd to 156th Street) — Best New Construction
6. The 100th Street & Urban Loop Corridor — Best for Commuters
7. Parkview & East Urbandale — Best Entry-Level Value
8. How to Choose Your Urbandale Neighborhood
9. Self Storage Near Urbandale — 10 Federal Storage Locations
10. Frequently Asked Questions

URBANDALE HOUSING & RENTAL MARKET OVERVIEW

Urbandale's housing market occupies an interesting middle position in the Des Moines metro. The average home value sits around $356,000 according to Zillow's mid-2026 data, with Redfin's median sale price running closer to $385,000 — meaningfully above the Iowa statewide median of roughly $253,000, but generally more accessible than neighboring Johnston or Waukee for comparable square footage and metro access. Homes have recently been going to pending in about three weeks, and the market scores as "somewhat competitive" rather than overheated. Roughly 62 to 72 homes change hands in a typical month.

What makes Urbandale unusual is the spread. This is a city where a well-maintained 1960s ranch in the eastern neighborhoods can trade in the low $200,000s while a new build on the far west side clears $600,000 — and both addresses say "Urbandale, IA." That range is a direct result of the city's development history: Urbandale has layered roughly a century of building on top of itself, expanding steadily westward from the original streetcar town near 70th and Douglas. Buyers who do neighborhood-level homework in Urbandale tend to find real value; buyers who shop by city name alone often miss it.

The rental market is one of the most affordable of any high-quality suburb in the Midwest. Average rent across all unit types runs around $1,010 per month, with one-bedrooms typically between $880 and $1,050 and two-bedrooms between $1,000 and $1,075. That's roughly 35 to 40% below the national median. Rents have softened about 2% over the past year as new metro supply delivered. The tradeoff for renters is inventory: Urbandale is roughly 78% owner-occupied, and two-bedroom units dominate what rental stock exists. Studio and one-bedroom hunters will have fewer options and should start looking earlier than they would in a renter-heavy market.

One structural note that catches out-of-state buyers off guard: Urbandale is served by four different school districts. Most addresses fall within the Urbandale Community School District, but properties near the northern, western, and southern boundaries can feed into Johnston, Waukee, or West Des Moines schools instead. This affects both the day-to-day experience and long-term resale value in some parts of the city. Verify district assignment for a specific address before making an offer — not by neighborhood, and not by ZIP code.

The other practical note: Urbandale is car-dependent, with a citywide Walk Score of 32. DART bus routes serve Douglas Avenue and Meredith Drive, and the trail system is genuinely excellent for recreation and some errands, but most households will want a vehicle per working adult. The upside is that the I-35/80 "Urban Loop" wraps the city, putting downtown Des Moines about 15 minutes away and most metro employment centers within a 20-minute drive.

1. DOWNTOWN URBANDALE & THE DOUGLAS AVENUE CORRIDOR — MOST HISTORIC, MOST WALKABLE

This is where Urbandale started. The stretch of Douglas Avenue between roughly 63rd and 72nd Streets was the heart of the original streetcar suburb, platted in 1907 along the interurban rail line that carried commuters and coal miners between the northwest settlements and downtown Des Moines. In 1916, local boosters raised $2,000 to build a two-room schoolhouse at 70th and Douglas — a project that directly triggered the city's incorporation the following year, when forty-seven residents petitioned Polk County to avoid being absorbed into a consolidated district.

The housing stock reflects that age. Small-lot bungalows, post-war ranches, and modest two-stories on tight, tree-shaded streets, most built between the 1920s and the 1960s. Prices are the most accessible in the city, with well-kept homes regularly trading between $200,000 and $300,000. For first-time buyers priced out of the metro's newer suburbs, this corridor is frequently the answer — and unlike a lot of "affordable" inventory, these homes sit inside a city with excellent services, strong parks, and a solid school district.

What makes this area genuinely interesting right now is the Urbandale Downtown Master Plan, a 20-year framework the city adopted to transform Douglas Avenue from a pass-through corridor into a destination district. The plan centers on two redevelopment nodes — 70th and Douglas, and 67th and Douglas — with multi-story mixed-use buildings, active ground floors, new public plazas north of Douglas, festival programming on 67th Street, and a conversion of Douglas from four lanes to three to slow traffic and make the street human-scaled. The city has already begun acquiring key parcels, including a $750,000 purchase at 7031 Douglas Avenue, and has funded the Aurora Avenue and 70th Street safety conversions. It's early, and 20-year plans are 20-year plans — but buyers who want to be early on a walkable district in an otherwise car-dependent suburb have a clear thesis here.

Median Home Price: $200,000–$300,000 for typical inventory; renovated properties higher | Average Rent: 1BR: $750–$950/mo | 2BR: $900–$1,100/mo

Safety: The Douglas corridor sees somewhat more activity than Urbandale's outlying residential areas, which is typical of any commercial main street — the incidents skew toward property and retail-adjacent crime rather than residential. The surrounding residential blocks remain quiet and well below national crime averages. Urbandale citywide records roughly 1.1 violent crimes and 7.0 property crimes per 1,000 residents.

Walkability / Transit: The most walkable part of Urbandale today, and by design the most walkable part of Urbandale tomorrow. Sidewalk infrastructure is in place, the grid is tight, and DART bus service runs along Douglas Avenue. Still a car-first area in practice, but the gap is narrowing.

Top Amenities:

• Urbandale Public Library — A well-used community anchor with programming for all ages
• Lions Park — Established neighborhood park serving the older residential blocks
• Douglas Avenue retail and dining — Long-standing local businesses, service retail, and everyday needs within a short drive or walk
• Downtown Des Moines access — Roughly 15 minutes east; the closest Urbandale gets to the state capital
• Charles Gabus Memorial Tree Park and Gardens — Nature trails and public art installations nearby
• Planned downtown district — New plazas, mixed-use development, and festival space in the adopted master plan

Best For: First-time buyers, renovators, investors betting on the downtown master plan, anyone who wants Urbandale services and schools at the lowest entry price in the city, buyers who value walkability and neighborhood history over square footage

Nearest 10 Federal Storage Location:

• 2001 Grand Ave, West Des Moines, IA 50265 — A straightforward run south through Windsor Heights, roughly 10 minutes from the 70th and Douglas area. Well-suited to older homes with limited closet space and no basement storage, or to staging belongings during a renovation on a small lot

2. WALNUT CREEK & THE 86TH STREET CORRIDOR — BEST ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOOD

If you asked a longtime Urbandale resident to describe the version of the city they grew up with, they'd probably describe this one. The neighborhoods clustered around Walnut Creek and the 86th Street corridor — Walnut Creek Estates, Walnut Creek Hills, Golf View Estates, Walnut Crest and their neighbors — represent Urbandale's mature middle. Homes here were largely built between the 1960s and the 1990s on generous lots, and the trees have had decades to fill in. Streets curve rather than grid. Backyards are deep. It's the kind of neighborhood character that takes forty years to develop and can't be replicated in a new subdivision, no matter how good the builder.

Pricing sits comfortably in the middle of the Urbandale market, generally running from the low $300,000s into the high $400,000s, with premium pockets like Golf View Estates recently averaging closer to $455,000. The housing stock is dominated by ranches, split-levels, and traditional two-stories — substantial homes with real square footage, often with finished lower levels and attached two-car garages. Many have been thoughtfully updated over the past decade, which means buyers can find genuinely move-in-ready properties without paying new-construction premiums.

The 86th Street corridor is the practical argument for this area. It's Urbandale's primary commercial artery, carrying Class A office parks, grocery, medical, restaurants, and everyday retail. Living near it means most errands take under ten minutes. Add in immediate access to Walnut Creek Regional Park and the trail system, plus a central position that keeps every part of the metro within reach, and you have the most consistently practical address in Urbandale. The one caution: this is a broad corridor spanning several school attendance areas, so district verification matters here as much as anywhere.

Median Home Price: ~$300,000–$480,000; premium subdivisions such as Golf View Estates average closer to $455,000 | Average Rent: 1BR: $900–$1,100/mo | 2BR: $1,050–$1,300/mo (limited inventory; ownership-dominated)

Safety: Consistently strong. These are stable, owner-occupied residential blocks with long tenure and low turnover, and they track well below both Iowa and national crime averages. The commercial stretch of 86th Street itself sees more incident volume, as any high-traffic retail corridor does, but that activity does not carry into the residential streets.

Walkability / Transit: Bikeable and walkable for recreation thanks to the Walnut Creek trail connections; car-dependent for errands, though distances are short. DART service is accessible via nearby arterials.

Top Amenities:

• Walnut Creek Regional Park — One of Urbandale's signature natural areas, with trail access and open space
• 86th Street commercial corridor — Grocery, medical, dining, fitness, and Class A office space within minutes
• Urbandale trail system — Over 30 miles of paved trail connecting into the greater Des Moines regional network
• Living History Farms — The 500-acre open-air museum of Iowa agricultural history sits just north off Hickman Road
• Central metro positioning — Downtown Des Moines, West Des Moines, Clive, and Johnston all within a 15–20 minute drive
• Mature tree canopy and large lots — The single most-cited reason buyers choose this part of the city

Best For: Move-up buyers, families who want space and mature surroundings over new finishes, established households, anyone prioritizing central metro access, buyers who want a large lot without leaving the city core

Nearest 10 Federal Storage Location:

• 1624 Fuller Rd, West Des Moines, IA 50265 — A direct shot south down 86th Street with quick I-235 access, roughly 10–12 minutes. A practical option for lawn equipment, seasonal gear, and the overflow that accumulates in a house with a deep garage and a bigger yard

3. MEREDITH DRIVE & NORTH URBANDALE — BEST FOR FAMILIES

The neighborhoods along and north of Meredith Drive are where Urbandale's family reputation actually lives. This is the part of the city with the densest concentration of parks, schools, and youth programming, anchored by Walker Johnston Park — a regional facility that hosts Urbandale's youth sports leagues, adult pickleball tournaments, ball diamonds, and a skate park that draws riders from across the metro. The city recently adopted a Walker Johnston Park Master Plan, committing to a further round of improvements and expanded recreation over the coming years.

Housing here spans a wide band, mostly built from the 1970s through the 2000s: split-levels and ranches on the older eastern side, larger two-stories and newer construction as you move west. Prices generally run from the high $200,000s to the mid $400,000s depending on age, size, and exact position. It's the most conventionally suburban part of Urbandale — cul-de-sacs, attached garages, fenced yards, walkable-to-school neighborhoods — and it's priced considerably below what comparable family inventory costs in Johnston or Waukee.

The school district question is most consequential here. Most of the area feeds Urbandale Community School District schools, but addresses closer to the northern boundary can fall into Johnston's district instead. Both are strong, but they're different systems with different attendance patterns and different resale reputations, and families should confirm the assignment for a specific address rather than assuming. The 2019 Meredith Drive interchange on I-35/80 also unlocked significant commercial and industrial development in this part of the city, which has improved everyday convenience while adding traffic on the main arterials.

Median Home Price: ~$280,000–$450,000 | Average Rent: 1BR: $850–$1,050/mo | 2BR: $1,000–$1,250/mo

Safety: Strong throughout. Low-turnover residential streets, active community programming, and heavy park usage all contribute. Urbandale's overall crime rate of roughly 797 per 100,000 residents sits far below the national figure of about 2,324, and this area is representative of that profile rather than an exception to it.

Walkability / Transit: Walkable within neighborhoods and to schools and parks; car-dependent for retail and commuting. DART routes serve Meredith Drive. Trail connections are excellent for cycling.

Top Amenities:

• Walker Johnston Park — Urbandale's flagship recreation complex: ball fields, pickleball courts, skate park, and youth league headquarters
• Urbandale Community School District schools — Elementary, middle, and Urbandale High School, all well regarded regionally
• Living History Farms — 500 acres of interactive Iowa agricultural history, one of the metro's signature attractions
• Meredith Drive I-35/80 interchange — Direct interstate access added in recent years, cutting commute times across the metro
• Extensive neighborhood park network — Urbandale maintains 800-plus acres of parkland, much of it concentrated here
• Youth sports and community programming — One of the strongest parks and recreation departments in central Iowa

Best For: Families with school-age children, buyers who want a conventional suburban setup at below-Johnston prices, households that will actually use parks and youth sports infrastructure, first move-up buyers

Nearest 10 Federal Storage Location:

• 1624 Fuller Rd, West Des Moines, IA 50265 — About 15 minutes south via 86th Street and I-235. Family households generate the most storage demand of any group — outgrown gear, seasonal decorations, sports equipment, and the furniture you're not ready to part with

4. NORTHWEST URBANDALE (142ND TO 156TH STREET) — BEST NEW CONSTRUCTION

Cross 142nd Street heading west and Urbandale changes completely. This is the city's growth edge — the ZIP 50323 side, where subdivisions like Waterford Landing, Timberline Village, and their neighbors have been delivering new construction steadily for the past decade. Ranch villas, townhomes with attached two-car garages, open-concept builds with nine-foot ceilings and quartz counters, many with lawn care and snow removal included. If you want a house nobody has lived in, this is the part of Urbandale to look.

The pricing here runs the widest of any area in the city. Attached townhomes and ranch villas can start in the high $200,000s to low $300,000s, while detached new construction on larger lots frequently runs $450,000 to $600,000 and beyond. What buyers are paying for, beyond the finishes, is a package: newer infrastructure, newer elementary schools, wide streets built to current standards, and neighborhoods where most of the residents arrived within the past ten years and are at similar life stages.

The critical detail in this part of Urbandale — and it's the single most consequential fact in this entire guide — is that portions of far west Urbandale fall within the Waukee Community School District rather than Urbandale's. Walnut Hills Elementary sits off 156th Street; other addresses feed Waukee schools entirely. Waukee's district carries a strong reputation and a corresponding price premium in the metro. Two homes on adjacent streets can have meaningfully different long-term values purely on district assignment. Confirm it in writing before you write an offer.

Median Home Price: Townhomes and villas from the high $200,000s; detached new construction typically $450,000–$600,000+ | Average Rent: 1BR: $1,000–$1,250/mo | 2BR: $1,200–$1,500/mo (newer product commands a premium)

Safety: Among the strongest in the city. CrimeGrade's analysis notes that the southwest and western portions of Urbandale record the fewest total incidents annually. New subdivisions with active HOAs, high owner-occupancy, and low through-traffic consistently produce this profile.

Walkability / Transit: Newer developments have wide sidewalks and good internal connectivity, making them pleasant to walk within. Leaving the neighborhood requires a car — commercial services on this edge of the city are still filling in. Transit service is limited this far west.

Top Amenities:

• New construction inventory — The metro's most active builders, with ranch villas, townhomes, and detached plans available
• Waukee Community School District access — Available at select addresses; one of central Iowa's most sought-after districts
• Walnut Hills Elementary — Serving the 156th Street area
• Low-maintenance living options — Many villa and townhome communities include lawn care and snow removal, a meaningful benefit in Iowa winters
• Highway 141 and I-35/80 access — Quick connections to the northwest metro and the broader interstate system
• Proximity to Waukee and Grimes — The metro's fastest-growing retail and dining corridors are minutes away

Best For: New-construction buyers, families targeting the Waukee school district, downsizers who want single-level villa living with maintenance included, relocating households who want a turnkey home, buyers with longer time horizons in a growth corridor

Nearest 10 Federal Storage Location:

• 1624 Fuller Rd, West Des Moines, IA 50265 — The most direct option from the west side, roughly 15–20 minutes south. Especially useful for buyers in a build-to-move gap, or for villa and townhome residents whose square footage doesn't include a basement

5. THE 100TH STREET & URBAN LOOP CORRIDOR — BEST FOR COMMUTERS

Urbandale's economic development strategy is organized around what the city calls the Urban Loop — the ring of interstate and highway access formed by I-35/80, Highway 141, and the interchanges at Meredith Drive, 100th Street, and Douglas Avenue. The residential neighborhoods threaded through and around this corridor, particularly between 100th Street and 121st Street, are the most commute-efficient addresses in the city, and increasingly the most walk-to-work.

The employment case here is real, not aspirational. John Deere's Intelligent Solutions Group built a 134,000-square-foot headquarters in this corridor. R&R Realty's Paradigm office building added 90,000 square feet of Class A space. Crescent Electric operates out of Walnut Ridge Business Park. Source Allies expanded along Meredith Drive. The Northpark Drive corridor between 86th and 100th Streets, and the Plum Drive corridor to the south, together represent one of the region's largest concentrations of shovel-ready development land — meaning this employment base is still growing.

Residentially, the neighborhoods in this band are a mix of 1990s and 2000s construction with newer infill, generally running from the low $300,000s into the $500,000s. They tend to be quieter than the 86th Street corridor with easier interstate access, and they benefit from proximity to Urbandale's newest commercial development without sitting directly on it. For dual-income households where one person commutes east to downtown Des Moines and the other works in the metro's western job centers, this is often the geographic compromise that works.

Median Home Price: ~$300,000–$500,000 | Average Rent: 1BR: $950–$1,200/mo | 2BR: $1,100–$1,400/mo

Safety: Strong residential safety profile. The corridor's commercial and business-park areas generate typical daytime activity patterns, but the residential neighborhoods off the arterials remain quiet and low-incident, consistent with Urbandale's citywide figures.

Walkability / Transit: Increasingly walkable within the business districts, which the city's Complete Streets policy and comprehensive plan explicitly target for pedestrian and bike improvements. Residential-to-retail trips are still car trips. Interstate access is the best in the city.

Top Amenities:

• John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group — Major technology employer headquartered in the corridor
• Northpark and Plum Drive business districts — Class A office, flex, and industrial space with continued development underway
• I-35/80 and Highway 141 access — Multiple interchanges; the best commute positioning in Urbandale
• 100th Street commercial corridor — Retail and service development expanding alongside the business parks
• Trail connectivity — The city's Complete Streets Master Plan targets bike and pedestrian improvements through these corridors
• Downtown Des Moines in ~15 minutes — Combined with quick access west toward Waukee and Grimes

Best For: Commuters, dual-income households working in different parts of the metro, employees of the Urban Loop business parks, buyers who want newer housing without going to the far west edge, frequent travelers who value interstate proximity

Nearest 10 Federal Storage Location:

• 1624 Fuller Rd, West Des Moines, IA 50265 — Roughly 12–15 minutes south with straightforward interstate access. A common fit for business storage as well as household overflow — contractors, sales professionals, and small businesses in the corridor use nearby units for tools, inventory, and archived records

6. PARKVIEW & EAST URBANDALE — BEST ENTRY-LEVEL VALUE

The eastern edge of Urbandale — the Parkview area and the neighborhoods along Airline Avenue and the streets numbered in the 60s and 70s, in the 50322 ZIP — is the most affordable way into the city, full stop. Recent sales in this part of Urbandale have included two-bedroom homes in the mid $200,000s, townhomes near $205,000, and larger properties in the $270,000s to $320,000s. Parkview specifically has seen a median around $253,000. In a metro where the median has crept toward $390,000, that's a meaningful gap.

The housing stock is older — mostly 1950s through 1970s ranches, split-levels, and modest two-stories on regular lots. Many need updating; some have already been updated by previous owners. Homes here also tend to sit on the market longer than Urbandale's average, which gives buyers something rare in central Iowa right now: negotiating room. Recent transactions have closed at or below list after triple-digit days on market.

The tradeoffs are honest ones. This is the closest part of Urbandale to Des Moines proper and the Merle Hay commercial corridor, which brings both convenience and higher traffic. It sees more total incident volume than the city's western neighborhoods. And the homes are old enough that inspection matters more than usual — roofs, HVAC, electrical panels, and sewer lines should all be scrutinized carefully. But for buyers who want an Urbandale address, Urbandale services, and access to the Urbandale Community School District at the lowest price in the city, this corridor delivers exactly that. It's also the strongest rental-yield territory in Urbandale for investors.

Median Home Price: ~$205,000–$320,000; Parkview median recently around $253,000 | Average Rent: 1BR: $700–$900/mo | 2BR: $850–$1,050/mo

Safety: The eastern and southern portions of Urbandale record higher total incident counts than the western neighborhoods — CrimeGrade puts the south parts of the city at roughly 185 incidents annually versus about 76 in the southwest. Context matters, though: even at the higher end, these figures remain well below both Iowa and national averages, and residential blocks here are broadly quiet.

Walkability / Transit: Better than most of Urbandale thanks to the older, tighter street grid and proximity to the Merle Hay commercial area. DART service is more accessible here than in the western neighborhoods. Still primarily a car-dependent area.

Top Amenities:

• Merle Hay corridor — Major retail, grocery, dining, and services immediately east
• Lowest entry price in Urbandale — The city's most accessible path to homeownership
• Urbandale Community School District — Most addresses in this area feed the district's schools
• Downtown Des Moines proximity — The shortest commute of any Urbandale neighborhood, typically 10–12 minutes
• Established trees and mature lots — The upside of an older neighborhood
• Investor-friendly economics — Purchase prices and rent levels support the strongest yields in the city

Best For: First-time buyers, investors, buyers willing to renovate, households prioritizing a short downtown Des Moines commute, anyone who wants an Urbandale address at the lowest possible price point

Nearest 10 Federal Storage Location:

• 2001 Grand Ave, West Des Moines, IA 50265 — About 10 minutes south via 63rd Street through Windsor Heights. A practical fit for smaller mid-century homes with limited closet space, and for anyone staging a renovation on an older property

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR URBANDALE NEIGHBORHOOD

Urbandale's neighborhoods vary more than its reputation as a uniform suburb suggests. Here's a practical framework for narrowing it down.

If budget is the primary constraint: Parkview and east Urbandale, followed by the Douglas Avenue corridor. These two areas deliver Urbandale services and school district access at prices $100,000 or more below the city median. Expect older homes and be rigorous about inspections, but the value is real and the negotiating room is better than anywhere else in the city.

If you want a house nobody has lived in: Northwest Urbandale, between 142nd and 156th Streets. This is where the builders are. Just verify school district assignment carefully — Waukee versus Urbandale district can be the difference between two otherwise identical homes.

If you want space, trees, and neighborhood stability: The Walnut Creek and 86th Street corridor is the clearest answer. Larger lots, mature canopy, substantial homes, and the most central position in the city. This is Urbandale's most consistently practical address.

If you have school-age children and want infrastructure around you: Meredith Drive and north Urbandale. The park network, the youth sports programming, Walker Johnston Park, and the density of Urbandale schools make this the most family-oriented part of the city — at prices below comparable Johnston or Waukee inventory.

If your commute is the deciding factor: The 100th Street and Urban Loop corridor. Multiple interstate interchanges, a growing base of local employers, and the ability to reach both downtown Des Moines and the western metro job centers quickly. For dual-income households working in opposite directions, this is often the compromise that actually works.

If you want to be early on something: The Douglas Avenue corridor. The Downtown Master Plan lays out a 20-year transformation with public infrastructure investment already underway. It's a longer-horizon bet than the rest of this list, and it should be treated as one — but it's the only place in Urbandale where you can buy into a walkable district before it exists.

One rule that applies everywhere in Urbandale: confirm the school district in writing for the specific address, not the neighborhood. Four districts serve this city, and the boundaries do not follow the patterns most buyers assume.

SELF STORAGE NEAR URBANDALE — 10 FEDERAL STORAGE LOCATIONS

Urbandale households generate a lot of overflow. Part of it is the housing stock: older neighborhoods with small closets and no basement, newer townhomes and villas that traded square footage for low maintenance. Part of it is the climate — central Iowa runs from 90-plus degree summers to below-zero winters, which means two full sets of gear, seasonal yard equipment, and holiday decorations that need somewhere to live nine months a year. And part of it is simply that this is a metro where people move: between Urbandale and Johnston, Waukee, Clive, and West Des Moines, constantly.

10 Federal Storage does not operate a facility inside Urbandale city limits — we'd rather say that plainly than pretend otherwise. What we do have is two facilities in West Des Moines, about a mile apart near the I-235 corridor, both an easy drive south from any Urbandale address. Depending on where in the city you start, that's roughly 10 to 20 minutes.

Both locations offer fully online rental — reserve your unit, sign your lease, and receive your gate access code without visiting an office or filling out paperwork. Access is 24/7, all leases are month-to-month with no long-term commitment, and both sites feature automated gate access, security camera coverage, and digital monitoring.

Both 10 Federal Storage Locations Near Urbandale

• 1624 Fuller Rd, West Des Moines, IA 50265 — The most direct option coming south down 86th Street or in from the western neighborhoods, with quick I-235 access. Convenient for the Walnut Creek and 86th Street corridor, Meredith Drive, the 100th Street corridor, and northwest Urbandale. Drive-up units make loading lawn equipment, furniture, and business inventory straightforward.
• 2001 Grand Ave, West Des Moines, IA 50265 — Just off Grand Avenue and close to I-235, this is the easier trip if you're coming south through Windsor Heights from the Douglas Avenue corridor or east Urbandale. Well-suited to residents of older homes with limited built-in storage, and to anyone staging a renovation or a move.

Climate-controlled units are available at select nearby locations — worth considering for wooden and upholstered furniture, photographs and documents, electronics, musical instruments, antiques, and leather goods, all of which take a beating in an unregulated Iowa garage. Standard drive-up units handle tools, outdoor equipment, and metal furnishings well. Unit sizes range from compact 5x5 units for boxes up to large units that hold the contents of a full home, and select nearby locations offer vehicle, RV, and boat parking. View storage options near Urbandale and reserve online here.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT URBANDALE NEIGHBORHOODS

What is the most affordable neighborhood in Urbandale?

Parkview and the surrounding east Urbandale neighborhoods in the 50322 ZIP offer the lowest entry prices in the city, with a Parkview median around $253,000 and recent sales ranging from roughly $205,000 for townhomes to the low $300,000s for larger single-family homes. The Douglas Avenue corridor around 70th Street is the next most accessible, with well-kept homes regularly trading between $200,000 and $300,000. For renters, the same eastern neighborhoods offer the lowest rents, with one-bedrooms available from around $700 per month.

What is the safest neighborhood in Urbandale?

CrimeGrade's data indicates the southwest and western portions of Urbandale record the fewest total incidents annually — roughly 76 per year compared with about 185 in the southern parts of the city. Practically, that points to the newer subdivisions west of 142nd Street and the established neighborhoods along the Walnut Creek corridor. Citywide, Urbandale records approximately 1.1 violent crimes and 7.0 property crimes per 1,000 residents, and AreaVibes rates it safer than roughly 79% of U.S. cities. Different crime-data providers score Urbandale somewhat differently, so it's worth reviewing more than one source.

What school district serves Urbandale, Iowa?

Most of Urbandale is served by the Urbandale Community School District, but the city is split across four districts. Addresses near the northern boundary can fall into Johnston Community School District, portions of far west Urbandale fall into Waukee Community School District, and some southern addresses feed West Des Moines. This is the single most important thing to verify before making an offer on an Urbandale home — district assignment does not follow neighborhood boundaries or ZIP codes, and it affects both daily life and long-term resale value. Private options include St. Pius X Catholic School, Des Moines Christian School, and Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines.

Is Urbandale a good place to buy a home?

For many buyers, yes. The average home value of roughly $356,000 sits well above the Iowa statewide median but generally below what comparable homes cost in Johnston or Waukee, while offering equal or better metro access. The market is somewhat competitive rather than overheated, with homes going to pending in about three weeks. The city's advantages are its central position, its parks and trail infrastructure, its diversity of housing stock across a wide price range, and its established commercial corridors. The main things to research carefully are school district assignment and, for the older eastern neighborhoods, the condition of major systems in homes built in the 1950s through 1970s.

What neighborhoods in Urbandale are best for families?

Meredith Drive and north Urbandale is the strongest choice for families who want park and youth-sports infrastructure, anchored by Walker Johnston Park and a dense cluster of Urbandale Community School District schools. The Walnut Creek and 86th Street corridor is the better fit for families who want larger lots and mature neighborhoods over new construction. Families targeting the Waukee school district specifically should look at northwest Urbandale between 142nd and 156th Streets. All three sit below comparable Johnston and Waukee price points for similar homes.

How does Urbandale compare to Johnston, Clive, and Waukee?

Urbandale typically offers lower prices than Johnston or Waukee with comparable or better central metro access, largely because its housing stock is older and more varied. Johnston and Waukee carry stronger school district reputations and a corresponding price premium. Clive is smaller and more uniformly upscale. Urbandale's real advantage is range: it's one of the few metro suburbs where a $220,000 starter home and a $600,000 new build exist inside the same city limits, which makes it unusually flexible for buyers at different stages. Buyers who prioritize prestige district reputation over value tend to choose Johnston or Waukee; buyers who prioritize location and price tend to choose Urbandale.

Is Urbandale walkable, and what about public transit?

Urbandale is car-dependent, with a citywide Walk Score of 32. DART bus routes serve Douglas Avenue and Meredith Drive, and the city maintains more than 30 miles of paved trails that connect into the greater Des Moines regional trail system — genuinely excellent for recreation and cycling, less practical as a daily commute solution for most residents. The Douglas Avenue corridor is the most walkable part of the city today, and the adopted Downtown Master Plan is specifically designed to make it substantially more so over the next two decades.

What should I know about Iowa weather before moving to Urbandale?

Central Iowa runs the full temperature range. Summers push into the 90s with real humidity; winters regularly drop below zero, with meaningful snowfall and ice. Practically, that means budgeting for snow removal (or choosing a villa or townhome community where it's included), sizing your garage realistically, and thinking about where seasonal items live nine months a year. It also means that anything temperature-sensitive stored in an unheated garage or shed — wood furniture, photographs, electronics, instruments — is at risk. Climate-controlled storage is a common solution for Urbandale-area households for exactly this reason.

WELCOME TO URBANDALE

Urbandale rewards people who look past the surface. It doesn't have a signature skyline or a famous main street, and it isn't the metro's newest or flashiest suburb. What it has is a century of layered development that produced something genuinely rare: a city where a first-time buyer, a growing family, a downsizing empty nester, and an executive relocating from out of state can all find the right house without leaving the same municipality. Add in 800-plus acres of parks, 30-plus miles of trails, a strong school system, Living History Farms in the backyard, and a location wrapped by the Urban Loop with downtown Des Moines 15 minutes away — and it's not hard to see why Urbandale keeps landing on best-places-to-live lists year after year.

Whether you're drawn to the history of the Douglas Avenue corridor, the mature streets around Walnut Creek, the family infrastructure along Meredith Drive, the new construction west of 142nd, or the value on the city's eastern edge, Urbandale has a version of itself that fits.

And wherever you land, 10 Federal Storage has two West Des Moines facilities a short drive south to make your move, seasonal changeover, or ongoing overflow as straightforward as possible — with fully online rental, 24/7 access, and flexible month-to-month leases.

Find storage near Urbandale and reserve a unit online today.

About 10 Federal Storage — Near Urbandale

10 Federal Storage serves the Urbandale area through two West Des Moines facilities — 1624 Fuller Rd and 2001 Grand Ave, both in the 50265 ZIP near the I-235 corridor — offering secure, accessible storage a short drive south of Urbandale. Fully online rental, 24/7 access, automated gate entry, and flexible month-to-month leases available at both locations. View storage options near Urbandale here.