City · Iowa
Waukee, Iowa
Waukee, city, in Dallas County, Iowa. Waukee had 34,890 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 45.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 23,940 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 29,236 (±34). GEOID 1982695.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
34,890
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 23,940 · ACS 2020-2024: 29,236 ±34
Median household income
$101,029
±$11,251 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$350,500
±$12,689 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$1,383
±$85 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Waukee and what county is it in?
Waukee is a city in Dallas County, Iowa. It covers 21.9 square miles of land, 1,093 residents per square mile in 2020.
Waukee is in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 6 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Waukee, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 34,890 people lived in Waukee on July 1, 2025, up 45.7% since 2020, faster than Iowa (+1.5%). The 2020 Census counted 23,940 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 29,236 (±34).
| Measure | Waukee | Dallas County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 29,236 ±34 | 107,968 | +8,451 |
| Households | 11,830 ±423 | 42,471 | +3,793 |
| Average household size | 2.46 ±0.09 | 2.53 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 12,216 ±457 | 44,804 | +3,818 |
Waukee's population since 2000
From 5,126 in 2000 to 34,890 in 2025: up 580.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Waukee as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Waukee?
The median resident of Waukee is 34.7 years old; 27.2% are under 18 and 11.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 76.4%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 6.5%. 14.2% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Waukee | Dallas County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.7 ±1.1 | 36.1 | +1.5 |
| Under 18 years | 27.2% ±1.9 pts | 26.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 11.1% ±1.3 pts | 12.9% | – |
| Male | 49.8% ±1.7 pts | 49.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.9% ±1.8 pts | 6.9% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 76.4% ±3.4 pts | 80.9% | −11.0 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 5.1% ±1.7 pts | 3.0% | +2.7 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 6.5% ±1.9 pts | 4.9% | +3.3 pts |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.6% ±2.1 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.5 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 14.2% ±2.3 pts | 10.4% | +6.2 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 16.1% ±3.1 pts | 13.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.3% ±1.8 pts | 5.5% | – |
| With a disability | 6.4% ±1.5 pts | 7.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.9% ±1.6 pts | 3.9% | +2.6 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.4% ±1.9 pts | 95.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 58.0% ±3.5 pts | 51.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 18.0% ±2.6 pts | 17.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 83.1% ±2.7 pts | 86.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.1% ±1.7 pts | 2.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Waukee earn?
Half of Waukee's 11,830 households earn less than $101,029 a year (±$11,251), against $102,379 in Dallas County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $116,399 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 7.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Waukee | Dallas County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $101,029 ±$11,251 | $102,379 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $135,543 ±$8,629 | $137,324 | – |
| Per capita income | $55,193 ±$3,693 | $54,385 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 7.4% ±2.5 pts | 6.3% | +4.2 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 8.1% ±4.0 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 4.4% ±1.5 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.3% ±0.8 pts | 97.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.8% ±2.0 pts | 92.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Waukee?
Owners occupy 66.5% of Waukee's occupied homes and renters 33.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $350,500 by its owner (±$12,689). The median renter pays $1,383 a month including utilities, and 27.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Waukee | Dallas County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $350,500 ±$12,689 | $355,600 | +$56,487 |
| Median gross rent | $1,383 ±$85 | $1,311 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 27.9% ±5.5 pts | 29.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,185 ±$75 | $2,160 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 66.5% ±3.5 pts | 69.0% | −7.4 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 33.5% ±3.5 pts | 31.0% | – |
| Housing units | 12,216 ±457 | 44,804 | +3,818 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.1% ±4.2 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 55.9% ±3.2 pts | 62.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.7% ±1.5 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 16.5% ±2.8 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 38.1% ±3.7 pts | 32.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.6% ±1.0 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.7% ±1.3 pts | 2.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Waukee building?
Builders took permits for 678 new housing units in Waukee in 2025 (480 in single-family houses), 19.4 per 1,000 residents against 4.2 across Iowa.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Waukee work and get to work?
71.0% of Waukee's workers drive alone and 22.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 19.8 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.5%.
| Measure | Waukee | Dallas County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 77.3% ±2.4 pts | 74.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% ±1.6 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 71.0% ±3.8 pts | 70.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.5% ±2.2 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 0.6% ±0.3 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 22.0% ±3.7 pts | 20.2% | +15.9 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.8 min ±1.4 | 21.2 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Waukee?
3 census tracts lie mostly in Waukee, and 6 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $81,842 (Tract 508.07) to $138,315 (Tract 508.17).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 508.07Dallas County | 8,693 | $81,842 |
| Tract 508.17Dallas County | 8,021 | $138,315 |
| Tract 508.03Dallas County | 14,390 | $132,215 |
| Tract 509.01Dallas County | 3,702 | $97,321 |
| Tract 508.18Dallas County | 3,805 | $111,838 |
| Tract 509.02Dallas County | 8,221 | $129,484 |
| Tract 508.05Dallas County | 6,144 | $169,722 |
| Tract 508.12Dallas County | 5,305 | $107,083 |
| Tract 502Dallas County | 3,953 | $96,101 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Waukee) · Census block assignment files
How does Waukee compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Waukee is the 1,189th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 16th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Waukee ranks 38th of 279 places in Iowa with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 16th | 939 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 2nd | 275 |
| Residents per square mile | 135th | 279 |
| Median household income | 38th | 279 |
| Per capita income | 15th | 279 |
| Median home value | 8th | 279 |
| Median gross rent | 6th | 266 |
| Poverty rate | 167th | 232 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8th | 279 |
| Median age | 240th | 279 |
| Owner-occupied share | 219th | 279 |
| Work from home | 5th | 221 |
| Travel time to work | 144th | 279 |
Waukee's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Waukee with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Waukee?
5 of the 57 figures for Waukee on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Waukee are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Waukee.