City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Waukee, IA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Waukee - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

26,974
Residents
$106,728
Median income
$328,200
Median home
$1,318
Median rent (state)

Waukee - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Waukee lands in the 81st percentile for household income and the 73rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

81st
percentile, household income
69th
percentile, home value
47th
percentile, median rent
73rd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Waukee, IA

Waukee is a small city in Iowa, home to 26,974 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Waukee brings in $106,728 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 5.7%. Home values in Waukee run a median of $328,200, and the median resident age is 34.4 years. 56.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 75.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 1,311 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 103% from five years earlier. Waukee reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 782.1 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: the state registers 87.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,318 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Iowa run around $212, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. The average commute for Waukee workers runs 15.4 minutes, with 71.9% driving alone and 21.0% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 60.6 out of 100 (Moderate).

Population

26,974 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$106,728 /yr

Poverty 5.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Waukee compare to other US cities?

Where Waukee sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 81% higher than other cities
Home value 69% pricier than other cities
Median rent 47% pricier than other cities
Safety 73% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Iowa and the picture shifts: Waukee ranks #65 of 141 Iowa cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Waukee's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Iowa, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

81stIncome percentile
73rdSafety percentile

81st percentile nationally for median household income · 73rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Waukee's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Waukee's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 65 Avg. percentile National median
Waukee's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Waukee's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$328,200 31st percentile more affordable than 31% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Waukee $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Waukee, IA Waukee, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Waukee, IA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Waukee, IA median $106,728/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Waukee, IA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Waukee, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 56.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 75.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
26,974
Median Income
$106,728
Median Home Value
$328,200
Median Age
34.4
Poverty Rate
5.7%
Labor force participation
75.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
56.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
782.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
141.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
640.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
11
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
20,000 residents25,000 residents30,000 residents35,000 residents40,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 24,185 residents 34,890 residents ▲ +44.3%
Waukee's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
1,311
housing units authorized
Single-Family
681
detached homes
Multifamily
630
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
48.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 645
2020 906
2021 1,192
2022 1,216
2023 1,163
2024 1,311

Permit volume increased 103% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
15.4 minutes
Drive Alone
71.9%
Carpool
5.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.7%
Work from Home
21.0%
Other
0.9%

Based on 14,672 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Iowa - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$75
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$212
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Iowa state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Iowa state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Waukee sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,318/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
60.6 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Mason City
27,135 people
Marshalltown
27,491 people
Ottumwa
25,352 people
Fort Dodge
24,788 people
Clinton
24,425 people
Johnston
24,196 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Waukee's 26,974 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Ossining, NY
26,979 people
Fulshear, TX
26,986 people
Mint Hill, NC
26,954 people
Sun City West, AZ
27,003 people
Belmont, MA
27,009 people
Chicago Heights, IL
26,938 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Waukee's $106,728 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Valley, NE
$106,750 median income
Medicine Park, OK
$106,750 median income
Commerce City, CO
$106,756 median income
Raymond, WI
$106,696 median income
Sharon Center, OH
$106,691 median income
North Fair Oaks, CA
$106,690 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Waukee, IA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Waukee, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 80.5% 6.5% 7.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.9% White 80.5% Black or African American 4.3% Asian 6.5% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 1.3% Two or more races 7.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Waukee compares to nearby Iowa cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Waukee (this city) 26,974 $106,728
Mason City 27,135 $62,369
Marshalltown 27,491 $68,854
Ottumwa 25,352 $56,994
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Waukee, IA?

What is the population of Waukee, IA? +

The population of Waukee, IA stands at 26,974 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Waukee, IA? +

The median household income in Waukee is $106,728 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Waukee? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Waukee; the closest available measure is the Iowa state average, a cost of living index of 87.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Iowa vary by metro area.

Is Waukee, IA safe? +

Waukee has a total crime rate of 782.1 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Waukee, IA? +

Homes in Waukee carry a median value of $328,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.