City comparison
Ankeny, IA is about 20 miles (30 km) from West Des Moines, IA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 20 miles, or about 19 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Ankeny, IA to West Des Moines, IA takes about 2 min, covering roughly 20 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
West Des Moines has a population of 68,744, vs 68,392 in Ankeny — about the same size. By land area, West Des Moines covers about 47 sq mi vs 32 sq mi for Ankeny.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Ankeny | West Des Moines | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,289/mo | $1,153/mo | 11.8% higher in Ankeny |
| Median home value | $281,700 | $266,700 | 5.6% higher in Ankeny |
| Median household income | $101,151 | $82,345 | 22.8% higher in Ankeny |
| Groceries index | 94.0 | 94.0 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 85.2 | 85.2 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 93.3 | 93.3 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 93.5 | 93.5 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Ankeny, you'd need $99,554 in West Des Moines to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Ankeny and West Des Moines have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Ankeny, you'd need about $79,643 in West Des Moines to keep the same standard of living.