Urbandale, Iowa Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Urbandale, IA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A
Health Above average
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A
Income Above average
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A
Education Above average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Urbandale | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 42,731 | 3,204,793 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1892.8 | 57.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.28% | 0.41% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.8 | 36.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 16,509 | 1,308,457 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Urbandale grew by 18.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 42,731 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Urbandale is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 22.8% of residents. That is 2.4 points above Iowa as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 7,857 18.4% -3.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 9,759 22.8% +2.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 9,560 22.4% +3.5 pts
- Boomers 61–79 6,719 15.7% -2.0 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Iowa, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 49.8% of the people living in Urbandale and men 50.2%.
- Women 49.8% Iowa 50.0%
- Men 50.2% Iowa 50.0%
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Economy
Urbandale has a the economy index of A, which means it is very prosperous.
| Metric | Urbandale | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $106,319 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.24% | 3.99% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Urbandale is about 42% higher than in Iowa.
Housing
| Metric | Urbandale | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $281,186 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,214 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 75.5% | 71.7% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Urbandale is about 19.3 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,214 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Urbandale spend about 36 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 148 hours, about 6.2 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Urbandale | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 17.8 | 17.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 35.6 | 33.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 148 | 141 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,593 | $4,382 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 17.1% | 11.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 19,571 | 4,993 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,968 | 606 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Urbandale is 18 minutes, longer than the 17 minutes in Iowa.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Urbandale has a education index of A, which means it is very educated.
| Metric | Urbandale | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.7% | 27.9% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.57 | 2.37 | 2.53 |
Health
Urbandale has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Urbandale | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.0 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 10.4% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 14.3% | 17.6% | 19.0% |
Urbandale, IA Compared With Nearby Cities
How Urbandale, IA compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urbandale, IA | 42,731 | $106,319 #2/3 | $281,186 #2/3 | 17.8 min #2/3 |
| Johnston, IA | 20,666 | $111,620 | $281,282 | 20.4 min |
| West Des Moines, IA | 67,280 | $88,314 | $222,746 | 17.0 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Urbandale, Iowa.
How many people live in Urbandale, Iowa?
About 42,731 people live in Urbandale, Iowa, in 16,509 households of 2.6 people on average. The median age is 38.8, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Urbandale, Iowa?
Averaged over its land area, Urbandale, Iowa has 1,893 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 22 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Urbandale, Iowa?
The median home costs 2.6 times the median household income ($281,186 against $106,319), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,214 a month takes about 14% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Urbandale, Iowa?
Unemployment in Urbandale, Iowa is only 3.1%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in Urbandale, Iowa?
46.7% of adults in Urbandale, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 2), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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