Grimes receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Grimes
Waukee
Opportunity
85 · Top 3%
vs88 · Top 1%
Growth
82 · Top 3%
vs77 · Top 8%
Climate
59 · Bottom 10%
vs59 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 18%
vs76 · Top 30%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs95 · Top 20%
Schools
88 · Top 5%
vs75 · Top 20%
Access
93 · Top 45%
vs89 · Bottom 40%
Economic stability
86 · Top 1%
vs79 · Top 9%
Measured values
| Metric | Grimes | Waukee | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,366 | 29,236 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $120,037 | $101,029 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,382 | $55,193 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,248/sq mi | 1,335/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $304,700 | $350,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,251 | $1,383 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.9% | 66.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.5% | 58.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.4% | 7.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 240 | 818 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 14.7 | 28.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 62.2% | -6.5% | 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 | 12 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.7 min | 20.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.4 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.89 | 16.70 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 83.4% | 79.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 81.6% | 78.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 19.9% | 19.9% | 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
Grimes
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, strong wind.
Waukee
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, heat wave.
Full profiles: Grimes, IA · Waukee, IA · How this is calculated: methodology