50023 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
50023
50021
Opportunity
88 · Top 2%
vs86 · Top 3%
Growth
70 · Top 15%
vs70 · Top 15%
Climate
59 · Bottom 10%
vs59 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 11%
vs89 · Top 11%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs98 · Top 14%
Schools
85 · Top 7%
vs77 · Top 18%
Access
95 · Top 40%
vs94 · Top 44%
Economic stability
87 · Top 3%
vs87 · Top 3%
Measured values
| Metric | 50023 | 50021 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 46,306 | 30,283 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $117,826 | $99,572 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,500 | $53,356 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,227/sq mi | 1,258/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $345,100 | $317,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,240 | $1,393 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.5% | 74.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.4% | 49.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.1% | 3.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 881 | 881 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 12.1 | 12.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -34.7% | -34.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.5" | 36.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 21.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.2 | 35.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.78 | 14.85 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 81.9% | 78.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 79.4% | 73.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 20.7% | 28.8% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
50023
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
50021
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: 50023 — Ankeny, IA · 50021 — Ankeny, IA · How this is calculated: methodology