Polk County · Des Moines-West Des Moines · population 47,759
Where Urbandale stands
At or near all-time high.
Home value trajectory · last 10 years
Zillow ZHVI · monthlyLifestyle scores
Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.
Rent trajectory · last 5 years
Zillow ZORI · monthlyHome value vs rent · indexed to 100
Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)Rent vs buy
At a 23.2 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in Urbandale. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.
How the momentum score breaks down
methodology →Urbandale has held up across the cycle: home values at $353,669 with +4.6% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.
Urbandale's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.
About Urbandale
Urbandale is a city in Polk County, Iowa, with an estimated population of 47,759. It anchors the Des Moines-West Des Moines metro area. The population grew 1.2% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Urbandale is $353,669 as of 2026-04, up 1.2% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +4.6% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Urbandale average $1,273 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+1.3%). The composite momentum score is 65 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.
▲ Bull case
▼ Bear case
About Urbandale (Wikipedia)
Urbandale is a city in Polk and Dallas counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The city was incorporated on April 16, 1917, and was a streetcar suburb of Des Moines. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 45,580. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area and is the 12th largest city in Iowa.
Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.
Playbook
You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.
Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.
Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.
Local safety & alerts
No active National Weather Service alerts for Polk County right now.
Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Polk County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.
Cities like Urbandale
Run the numbers for Urbandale
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.
Climate & natural-disaster risk
State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.
Current weather
Find rentals & listings
Open current Urbandale listings on the major real-estate sites.
Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.
Local news & community
Latest news
- Crews respond to fire at apartment building in UrbandaleKCCI · 5d ago
- Dozen residents displaced in Urbandale apartment fire, heavy damage reportedWHO13.com · 5d ago
- Urbandale man faces 11 counts of child pornography charges after earlier arrest for enticing a minorweareiowa.com · 5d ago
- USDA Announces Food Safety and Inspection Service Reorganization, Establishes National Food Safety Center in IowaUSDA (.gov) · 3w ago
- President Trump Visits Restaurant in Urbandale, IowaC-SPAN · 3mo ago
- USDA says it will create a National Food Safety Center in UrbandaleThe Des Moines Register · 3w ago
Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.
Local sports teams
Major professional teams the Des Moines-West Des Moines area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.
Local economy & environment
Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.
Cities similar to Urbandale
Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.