The Waukee Brief
Considering a move to Waukee? You're in good company. It's the biggest city in Dallas County and one of the fastest-growing in Iowa, and people keep coming for the new-build housing, the schools, the space, and an easy run into the Des Moines metro. Here's the straight story on what to expect, from someone who actually lives here.
Just moved in, or boxes still in the truck? Here is the first-week checklist in one place, so you are not hunting through the city website at 9pm. All free. Then let the weekly Brief keep you current once you have unpacked.
Waukee's 2024 Special Census counted 31,823 residents, up from 23,940 in the 2020 Census, an increase of roughly a third in about four years, and the city has kept adding people since. That pace makes it one of the fastest-growing cities in Iowa and the largest in Dallas County, itself among the fastest-growing counties in the country. Waukee sits on the western edge of the Des Moines metro, so you get a fast-building suburban feel with the whole metro a short drive away.
Waukee is in Dallas County, not Polk County, and for a mover that is a practical detail worth getting right. Your property taxes, assessor, recorder, and many county services run through Dallas County, so when you go to look up an assessment, register a deed, or pay a tax bill, you want Dallas County offices in Adel, not the Polk County offices most metro newcomers think of first. Dallas County has been one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States, which is a big part of why so much of Waukee is brand-new.
Waukee is a new-construction town, so it runs pricier than the metro average and a large share of what sells is brand-new. In 2026, national listing sites put the median sale price roughly in the high $300,000s to around $400,000, with Zillow's average home value closer to the mid $300,000s. Treat these as a moving range, not a fixed quote:
The lot-sale figures are self-pulled Dallas County records and show where the growth is platting; many are multi-lot bulk sales to builders, so per-transaction is not per-lot. Home-price figures are point-in-time and move with the market, so check current listings before you make decisions.
Families move to Waukee largely for the schools: the Waukee Community School District is one of the largest and fastest-growing in Iowa. It is unusual in running two comprehensive high schools, the original Waukee High School (the Warriors) and Waukee Northwest High School (the Wolves), which opened in 2021 when the district split into two feeders. Between middle school and high school, Waukee students also attend separate ninth-grade schools, a structure worth understanding before you pick a house. Full breakdown in our Waukee schools guide.
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Day to day, Waukee is a fast-growing west-metro suburb built around new neighborhoods and big civic projects. Kettlestone is the marquee draw, a large mixed-use district whose Kettlestone Central "Main Street" is being built out with shops, restaurants, and housing. Triumph Park anchors the parks and recreation side, the city runs its own Sugar Creek Municipal Golf Course, and the Raccoon River Valley Trail gives you one of the region's best long paved rides. The Palms Theatres & IMAX is right in town. Start here:
For a lot of people, yes. It's the largest city in Dallas County and one of the fastest-growing in Iowa, with a well-regarded school district, low crime, and a huge amount of brand-new housing, roughly 20 minutes from downtown Des Moines. It trades big-city density for space, new construction, and trails.
Because so much of the housing is new construction, Waukee runs pricier than the metro average. In 2026, listing sites put the median sale price roughly in the high $300,000s to around $400,000, with Zillow's average home value closer to the mid $300,000s. Check current listings for an exact read.
About 17 miles from downtown Des Moines, generally a 20 to 25 minute drive on Interstate 80, Hickman Road, University Avenue, or Grand Prairie Parkway to the interstate.
Waukee is in Dallas County, not Polk County. That matters for movers: property taxes, the assessor, the recorder, and many county services run through Dallas County, so use Dallas County offices in Adel when you get set up. See our property-tax guide.
Water and sewer through the City of Waukee, electric and gas through MidAmerican Energy, trash and recycling, and internet, covered in our utilities setup guide. Then find your zoned schools by address and get familiar with Dallas County property taxes.
Waukee is served by the Waukee Community School District, one of the largest and fastest-growing in Iowa. It runs two comprehensive high schools, Waukee High (the Warriors) and Waukee Northwest (the Wolves), plus separate ninth-grade schools. Find your zoned building with our Waukee schools guide.
Waukee is one of the fastest-growing cities in Iowa. Its 2024 Special Census confirmed 31,823 residents, up from 23,940 in 2020, an increase of roughly a third in about four years, and it has kept growing since.