WYLT Neighborhood Rankings · 2026

Best Neighborhoods
in Iowa

Ranked by safety, schools, walkability, and value. Every verdict is based on real data — no sponsored rankings, no fluff.

21 neighborhoods reviewed
2 "Settle here" picks
12 "Good for now" picks

#1 Pick in Iowa

Dubuque, Dubuque is the top-rated neighborhood in Iowa — our highest verdict.

Top 21 Neighborhoods in Iowa

#1

Dubuque

Settle here

Dubuque, IA

Price

$178K

Walk

42/100

Schools

7/10

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#2

Clinton

Settle here

Clinton, IA

Price

$122K

Walk

55/100

Schools

5.7/10

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#3

Ankeny

Good for now

Ankeny, IA

Price

$345K

Walk

65/100

Schools

7.3/10

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#4

Cedar Falls

Good for now

Cedar Falls, IA

Price

$271K

Walk

57/100

Schools

7.1/10

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#5

Mason City

Good for now

Mason City, IA

Price

$147K

Walk

89/100

Schools

5.9/10

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#6

Burlington

Good for now

Burlington, IA

Price

$124K

Walk

77/100

Schools

6.5/10

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#7

Des Moines

Good for now

Des Moines, IA

Price

$293K

Walk

75/100

Schools

6.8/10

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#8

Waukee

Good for now

Waukee, IA

Price

$353K

Walk

24/100

Schools

7.3/10

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#9

Ames

Good for now

Ames, IA

Price

$254K

Walk

36/100

Schools

5.3/10

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#10

Waterloo

Good for now

Waterloo, IA

Price

$184K

Walk

39/100

Schools

7/10

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#11

Marion

Good for now

Marion, IA

Price

$244K

Walk

54/100

Schools

7.2/10

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#12

West Des Moines

Good for now

West Des Moines, IA

Price

$282K

Walk

58/100

Schools

6.4/10

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#13

Urbandale

Good for now

Urbandale, IA

Price

$276K

Walk

56/100

Schools

5.9/10

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#14

Rockwell

Good for now

Rockwell, IA

Price

$212K

Walk

15/100

Schools

3.7/10

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#15

Cedar Rapids

Think twice

Cedar Rapids, IA

Price

$157K

Walk

86/100

Schools

7.5/10

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#16

Bettendorf

Think twice

Bettendorf, IA

Price

$312K

Walk

53/100

Schools

7.1/10

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#17

Sioux City

Think twice

Sioux City, IA

Price

$260K

Walk

79/100

Schools

6.9/10

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#18

Marshalltown

Think twice

Marshalltown, IA

Price

$141K

Walk

75/100

Schools

6.2/10

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#19

Iowa City

Think twice

Iowa City, IA

Price

$242K

Walk

41/100

Schools

7.3/10

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#20

Council Bluffs

Think twice

Council Bluffs, IA

Price

$152K

Walk

34/100

Schools

5.8/10

View report →
#21

Davenport

Think twice

Davenport, IA

0

Walk

55/100

View report →

Best places to live in Iowa — 2026 rankings

WYLT has reviewed 21 neighborhoods across Iowa, covering cities including Dubuque, Clinton, Ankeny, Cedar Falls, Mason City and more. The top-rated neighborhood this year is Dubuque, rated "Settle here" based on safety, schools, walkability, and home prices. 2 neighborhoods earn our highest "Settle here" verdict — meaning strong scores across all four dimensions with no major red flags.

Median home prices across reviewed Iowa neighborhoods average $227K. Average Walk Score is 55/100. Every verdict is based on real data — crime statistics, school ratings, walkability scores, and price trend data — not sponsored rankings. Click any neighborhood to read its full report including commute times, flood risk, and a plain-English verdict.

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