Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
1 / 25#25. Webster Township
- Niche grade: A
- Public school grade: A-
- Population: 61,593
Best places to live in the Des Moines metro area
Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in the Des Moines metro area using data from the Niche. Niche uses 15 weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on cost of living, higher education rate, housing, public schools, diversity, and crime. You can read more about Niche's methodology here.
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
2 / 25#24. Jefferson Township
- Niche grade: A
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 14,291
Mila Supinskaya Glashchenko // Shutterstock
3 / 25#23. Douglas Township
- Niche grade: A
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 11,242
Akarawut // Shutterstock
4 / 25#22. Walnut Township
- Niche grade: A
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 38,145
Laura Beach // Shutterstock
5 / 25#21. Crocker Township
- Niche grade: A
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 67,766
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
6 / 25#20. Walnut Township
- Niche grade: A
- Public school grade: A-
- Population: 69,431
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
7 / 25#19. Boone Township
- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 33,284
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
8 / 25#18. Saylorville
- Niche grade: B-
- Public school grade: B
- Population: 3,559
imtmphoto // Shutterstock
9 / 25#17. Pleasant Hill
- Niche grade: B
- Public school grade: B
- Population: 10,796
Stuart Monk // Shutterstock
10 / 25#16. Altoona
- Niche grade: B+
- Public school grade: B+
- Population: 20,592
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
11 / 25#15. Carlisle
- Niche grade: B+
- Public school grade: B-
- Population: 4,187
FamVeld // Shutterstock
12 / 25#14. Des Moines
- Niche grade: B+
- Public school grade: C
- Population: 212,464
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
13 / 25#13. Indianola
- Niche grade: B+
- Public school grade: B
- Population: 15,918
RossHelen // Shutterstock
14 / 25#12. Norwalk
- Niche grade: A-
- Public school grade: B+
- Population: 13,610
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
15 / 25#11. Windsor Heights
- Niche grade: A-
- Public school grade: B+
- Population: 5,171
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
16 / 25#10. Adel
- Niche grade: A-
- Public school grade: B
- Population: 6,259
Stuart Monk // Shutterstock
17 / 25#9. Grimes
- Niche grade: A-
- Public school grade: A-
- Population: 15,810
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
18 / 25#8. Bondurant
- Niche grade: A-
- Public school grade: B-
- Population: 8,061
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
19 / 25#7. Polk City
- Niche grade: A
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 5,833
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
20 / 25#6. Johnston
- Niche grade: A
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 24,196
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Robert Kneschke // Shutterstock
21 / 25#5. Urbandale
- Niche grade: A
- Public school grade: A-
- Population: 46,026
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 25#4. Waukee
- Niche grade: A
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 26,974
F8 studio // Shutterstock
23 / 25#3. Ankeny
- Niche grade: A
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 70,542
Jacek Chabraszewski // Shutterstock
24 / 25#2. West Des Moines
- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A-
- Population: 69,893
NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock
25 / 25#1. Clive
- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 18,776
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