Des Moines and Clive melt into Waukee as drivers head west on Hickman Road. The city forms the western cusp of the Des Moines Metro Area — and like Ankeny to the north, it has space to grow on all sides. U.S. Census Bureau reported a whopping 32% population increase from April 2020 to July 2023, making it the fastest-growing city in Iowa and the 11th fastest in the nation. “When I first moved to the area, Hickman, the main four-lane road, was just gravel,” says Shane Kennedy, Realtor with eXP Realty who grew up in Waukee. “I would look around and just see cornfields. It's bizarre, you’re in the same area but it doesn’t feel like it.” Alongside homes and projects like Apple data centers, the city’s newest developments aim to attract a flow of visitors to the city. “I love the growth — It's aggressive, but in a good way,” Kennedy says. “They’re trying to make it a destination where people are going to stay here and go out here.”
New construction homes dot Waukee next to other historic homes.
The "W" Roundabout makes the symbol for Waukee.
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Suburban homes in Waukee
Subdivisions with uncracked pavement and freshly planted trees make up much of Waukee, while other areas are mixed with mid-rise condos. “Waukee used to be an old farming community, so you’ll still see some homes from the 1950s,” says Jarod Snover, a lifelong Des Moines resident and a local agent serving the area at Iowa Realty Mills Crossing. “Many new constructions are two-story traditional homes, and depending on the size of the property, the price range can vary from the low $300,000 up to $1 million.” The median price in Waukee is about $370,000, below the national average and neighboring communities like Clive. With so much going up every year, supply outweighs demand; homes spend an average of 93 days on the market compared to the national average of 44 days.
Historic homes are scattered throughout Waukee
Waukee streets are often lined with colorful townhomes.
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Waukee Community School District opens new high school
The Waukee Community School District scores an A from Niche, and all elementary, middle and high schools score an B-plus or higher. Northwest High School welcomed its first students in the 2021 school year, and the district purchased a tract of land for a potential third high schoolin 2024 to keep up with the growing population. High school students can take classes for college credit at Des Moines Area Community College through the DMACC Career Advantage program.
Waukee Middle School is dedicated to fostering an environment that supports and encourages the growth and development of all its students.
Waukee High School serves half of Waukee's students in grades 10-12.
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Waukee’s thriving park system
Waukee Parks and Recreation manages 20 city parks and the public Sugar Creek Municipal Golf Course. Recently constructed Waukee Triumph Park has a dozen diamond fields that are open to local leagues, an 11-acre pond with a fishing pier and a playground. The city also contains 25 miles of nature trails connecting to other Des Moines metro trail systems — like The Heart of the Warrior Trail, which stretches between Waukee High School and Sixth Street and connects to Clive’s Greenbelt Trail in Lions Park. Timberline Campground attracts visitors from the metro area with its fishing pond, swimming pool and dog park.
Waukee Triumph Park lake offers fishing opportunities for residents.
Centennial Park is the main park of the City of Waukee.
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Shops and restaurants on Hickman Road
Hickman Road, which runs east to west through the heart of Waukee, is home base for grocery chains like Aldi, Hy-Vee and Fareway. Locals expect the main drag will become a hotter destination with the completion of Waukee Towne Center. “They started that project around three years ago," Kennedy says. "Within five years, it's gonna be a whole mecca of entertainment, restaurants, shops, and really, more nightlife, which Waukee needs — a destination so you don’t have to go downtown." Chain retailers like Kohl’s, Best Buy and Target are located in Clive, which is about 7 miles east of Waukee. Jordan Creek Town Center in West Des Moines is home to 158 retail or department stores, local businesses, restaurants and a Cinemark movie theater.
HyVee has fresh produce at any time for the residents of Waukee
Fareway Grocery is a common local store choice tor Waukee residents.
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Community socials in Waukee
Vibrant Music Hall, a 2,500-capacity indoor concert venue on the south end of Waukee, has featured national acts since opening its doors in 2023. Throughout the year, the city of Waukee hosts community events such as FamilyFest, Beggars’ Night trick or treating, movies in the park showings and Trout Day at Triumph Park.
Navigating Waukee and Des Moines
Waukee is about 16 miles west of Des Moines via Hickman Road or Interstate 235. “People go downtown, but a bunch of companies have moved out to West Des Moines,” Kennedy says. “So you’ll see a pretty good flow of traffic going both ways in the morning on 235.” Several general hospitals are also located in West Des Moines, though Waukee has its own urgent care facilities. The rest of Des Moines’ interstates form a circle connecting residents to other satellite cities like Ankeny and Altoona. The Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency is a door-to-door public transit service for area residents, while Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority buses offer public transportation into the city. Flights take off from Des Moines International Airport, 20 miles southeast of Waukee.
Tracking crime and natural disasters in Waukee
According to Waukee Police Department data, crimes against persons decreased by roughly 5% between 2022 and 2023, while crimes against property increased by 22% in the same period. Both violent and property crime rates generally stay below the state and national average. According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Polk County, which spans west of Des Moines and covers Waukee, has counted 68 tornado events since 1950. About half of them caused property damage, while fewer than 7 resulted in death or injury. Waukee tests its emergency warning siren on the first Saturday of each month at noon.
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