The Neighborhoods
Every block has a story. From the Italian families of the South Side to the Victorian grandeur of Sherman Hill, from the creative energy of East Village to the suburban boom of Ankeny — this is where Des Moines lives.
Neighborhoods
Beaverdale
The neighborhood where everybody knows your name. Beaverdale is Des Moines' quintessential family neighborhood — tree-lined streets, Tudor-style homes, and a main street that feels like stepping back in time. The Beaverdale Fall Festival is legendary.
Downtown
The skyline, the skywalk, the Capitol. Downtown Des Moines is where the insurance towers meet the farmers market, where the river walk connects to the sculpture park, and where the city puts its best face forward.
Drake
College town energy in the middle of the city. The Drake neighborhood pulses with the rhythm of Drake University — the Relays, the Bulldogs, and a community that blends academia with real Des Moines character.
East Village
The creative heartbeat of Des Moines. Once a forgotten stretch of warehouses, East Village transformed into the city's most vibrant arts and dining district. Murals cover every wall, boutiques line every block, and the energy is unmistakable.
Highland Park
North side pride. Highland Park is one of Des Moines' most diverse and resilient neighborhoods, with a history that spans from the streetcar era to the present day.
Ingersoll
Des Moines' original restaurant row. Ingersoll Avenue has been the city's go-to dining corridor for decades, with a mix of old-school institutions and new arrivals that keeps it perpetually interesting.
Sherman Hill
Victorian grandeur meets urban grit. Sherman Hill is Des Moines' oldest residential neighborhood, with stunning 19th-century homes and a history that mirrors the city's own rise and reinvention.
South Side
The Italian heart of Des Moines. The South Side is where generations of Italian immigrant families built their lives, their businesses, and their legacy. The food, the faith, the family — it all started here.
Valley Junction
Valley Junction is where the railroad soul of West Des Moines still lives. Originally incorporated as the town of Valley Junction in 1893, this historic district was a railroad hub where the Rock Island and Milwaukee Road lines converged, bringing workers, commerce, and a blue-collar identity that persists to this day. Every Sunday, the brick-lined streets of 5th Street fill with the sound of acoustic guitars, the smell of kettle corn, and the laughter of families browsing antique shops and artisan booths. The Valley Junction Farmers Market is one of the most beloved weekly traditions in the metro — a sensory experience that bridges the gap between the old rail workers and the new boutique owners. The storefronts here wear their age with gritty elegance. Faded painted signs on brick walls, Depression-era glass in shop windows, iron tools that once built the foundations of surrounding homes. The Historic Valley Junction marquee glows at night like a beacon for anyone seeking something real in a world of strip malls and chain restaurants. For the Des Moines diaspora — the folks now living in Phoenix or Dallas or Charlotte — Valley Junction is often the first place they visit when they come home. Whether it's a specific wooden toy from an antique shop or the taste of a tenderloin that's twice the size of the bun, this neighborhood remains the city's most consistent heartbeat.
Suburbs
Altoona
Home to Adventureland and Prairie Meadows, Altoona is the entertainment gateway to Greater Des Moines.
Ankeny
Ankeny sits just north of Des Moines along Interstate 35, and for decades it was known primarily as a commuter suburb — a place where people slept but didn't necessarily work. That narrative is over. Today, Ankeny is a regional business center and one of the fastest-growing cities in the Midwest, with a 2026 population reaching 80,809. Growing at roughly 2.6% annually, the city has added over 12,000 residents since the 2020 census. With a median household income of $108,198, Ankeny isn't just a bedroom community — it is an economic engine in its own right, consistently adding high-paying jobs and new infrastructure. The Baker Group's recent expansion added 100 high-paying engineering and construction management jobs to the city. New data center approvals signal that Ankeny is positioning itself as part of the Silicon Prairie corridor that stretches from Des Moines through the northern suburbs. Major employers like John Deere Financial and Casey's General Stores have long anchored the local economy, but the diversification into tech, logistics, and advanced manufacturing is what defines Ankeny's current chapter. The Prairie Trail development has given Ankeny something it never had before — a walkable downtown. Mixed-use buildings, restaurants, boutiques, and a town square that hosts farmers markets and community events have created a center of gravity for a city that used to be defined entirely by its proximity to Des Moines. Ankeny isn't just growing. It's becoming a destination. With the Ankeny Regional Airport expansion underway and continued residential development pushing the population well past 80,000, the city that was once "30 minutes north of Des Moines" is increasingly being described as the northern anchor of a metro area that is redefining what the Midwest can be.
Bondurant
A growing suburb northeast of Des Moines, home to the Grain District and T12 Distillery.
Grimes
The new frontier. Grimes is the latest suburb to explode with growth, transforming from a tiny town into a bustling community seemingly overnight.
Johnston
Where Des Moines meets the prairie. Johnston sits at the northwestern edge of the metro, a planned community that grew around Camp Dodge and evolved into one of Iowa's most desirable addresses.
Urbandale
Merle Hay Road and beyond. Urbandale straddles the line between classic suburb and modern edge city, with a retail corridor that has served the metro for generations.
Waukee
Waukee has transformed from a quiet western suburb into one of the fastest-growing cities in the Midwest. With a 2026 population approaching 40,000 — a staggering 61% increase since 2020 — and an annual growth rate of 6.8%, Waukee is no longer just a bedroom community for Des Moines. It is an economic force in its own right. The median household income here crosses $100,000, reflecting the influx of young professionals and families drawn by top-rated schools, new commercial developments, and a quality of life that consistently ranks among the best in Iowa. The city's transformation accelerated with the opening of new retail corridors, tech-sector office parks, and residential developments that blend suburban comfort with urban amenities. What makes Waukee remarkable is not just the growth — plenty of suburbs grow. It's the intentionality. City planners and developers have worked to create walkable town centers, preserve green space, and attract businesses that provide high-paying jobs close to home. Waukee isn't trying to be Des Moines. It's building something distinctly its own.
West Des Moines
The other downtown. West Des Moines has built its own identity with Jordan Creek, Valley Junction, and a business corridor that rivals anything on the east side of the river.