Should I Move To
Urbandale, Iowa is home to about 45,591 people. On cost of living, it lands in the affordable band — 11% below the national average. The median renter pays around $1,108 a month against a typical household income of $111,888. Our composite UrbRank Score lands at 59 out of 100 (grade C), putting it at #159 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Urbandale's composite cost-of-living index lands at 89 (100 = US average), which puts it in the affordable band. At $1,108/mo against $111,888 in median household income, the typical renter spends about 12% of income on housing — comfortably under the 30% rule of thumb, which is unusual. Median home value sits around $298,500.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Climate is cold-winter — summer averages around 84°F, winter averages around 17°F. Precipitation totals about 37 inches a year. Almost entirely car-dependent. Sidewalks exist; they just don't connect to where you need to go. AQI runs about 37 — a "good" reading.
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Urbandale reads as a moderate fit for families. The profile-weighted score is 60/100 — a C+. Its standout dimension is job market (99/100); the soft spot is climate (15/100).
Urbandale doesn't obviously fit retirees. The profile-weighted score is 46/100 — a D. Its standout dimension is job market (99/100); the soft spot is climate (15/100).
Urbandale doesn't obviously fit remote workers. The profile-weighted score is 55/100 — a C-. Its standout dimension is job market (99/100); the soft spot is climate (15/100).
Urbandale reads as a moderate fit for young professionals. The profile-weighted score is 60/100 — a C. Its standout dimension is job market (99/100); the soft spot is climate (15/100).
Our overall score for Urbandale is 59/100 — a C, sitting at #159 in the national ranking. It's a weighted average across the seven UrbRank dimensions.
By the composite index, Urbandale sits at 89 — affordable, 11% below the national average. Median renter pays around $1,108 a month.
Urbandale runs cold-winter on the weather. Summer's near 84°F, winter's near 17°F; 37 inches of precipitation annually.
Walk Score: 22/100. Almost entirely car-dependent. Sidewalks exist; they just don't connect to where you need to go.
Roughly 45,591 people live here, with 52% college-educated (bachelor's or higher) among adults 25+ with a median age of 39.
Drop Urbandale into the comparison tool with any other US city and you'll get housing costs, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life data lined up side by side. Profile-specific leaderboards (families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals) are linked from the navigation.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Urbandale with other Iowa cities scored on UrbRank.
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