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.

20 neighborhoods reviewed
1 "Settle here" picks
11 "Good for now" picks

#1 Pick in Iowa

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

Top 20 Neighborhoods in Iowa

#1

Waukee

Settle here

Waukee, IA

Price

$310K

Schools

5.9/10

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#2

Cedar Falls

Good for now

Cedar Falls, IA

Price

$250K

Walk

18/100

Schools

6.2/10

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#3

Des Moines

Good for now

Des Moines, IA

Price

$309K

Walk

65/100

Schools

6.1/10

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#4

Ankeny

Good for now

Ankeny, IA

Price

$293K

Walk

3/100

Schools

5.9/10

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#5

Mason City

Good for now

Mason City, IA

Price

$130K

Walk

25/100

Schools

5.5/10

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#6

Dubuque

Good for now

Dubuque, IA

Price

$159K

Schools

7.9/10

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#7

Burlington

Good for now

Burlington, IA

Price

$122K

Walk

8/100

Schools

6.1/10

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#8

Waterloo

Good for now

Waterloo, IA

Price

$174K

Walk

2/100

Schools

6.1/10

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#9

Urbandale

Good for now

Urbandale, IA

Price

$330K

Walk

29/100

Schools

6/10

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#10

Marion

Good for now

Marion, IA

Price

$211K

Schools

6.1/10

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#11

West Des Moines

Good for now

West Des Moines, IA

Price

$285K

Schools

6.1/10

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#12

Clinton

Good for now

Clinton, IA

Price

$116K

Schools

5.6/10

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#13

Sioux City

Think twice

Sioux City, IA

Price

$260K

Walk

60/100

Schools

5.8/10

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#14

Bettendorf

Think twice

Bettendorf, IA

Price

$279K

Walk

18/100

Schools

5.6/10

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#15

Cedar Rapids

Think twice

Cedar Rapids, IA

Price

$135K

Walk

40/100

Schools

5.7/10

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#16

Marshalltown

Think twice

Marshalltown, IA

Price

$148K

Walk

32/100

Schools

5.7/10

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#17

Davenport

Think twice

Davenport, IA

0

Walk

24/100

Schools

5.6/10

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#18

Ames

Think twice

Ames, IA

Price

$236K

Schools

4.7/10

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#19

Iowa City

Think twice

Iowa City, IA

Price

$226K

Schools

6.4/10

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#20

Council Bluffs

Think twice

Council Bluffs, IA

Price

$145K

Schools

5.6/10

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Best places to live in Iowa — 2026 rankings

WYLT has reviewed 20 neighborhoods across Iowa, covering cities including Waukee, Cedar Falls, Des Moines, Ankeny, Mason City and more. The top-rated neighborhood this year is Waukee, rated "Settle here" based on safety, schools, walkability, and home prices. 1 neighborhood earns 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 $217K. Average Walk Score is 27/100. 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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