Find Your Community Fit: Suburbs and City Core
Greater Des Moines (DSM) has communities for every personality. The City of Des Moines sits at the core of DSM and it is surrounded by suburbs that each have a distinct vibe. Whether you’re looking for an urban environment, are in the market for a walkable community, or a neighborhood with plenty of shopping, events and things to do, you can find it in the core metro area of DSM.)
The cost of living in DSM is 13% lower than the national average and commute times clock in at 20 minutes on average. Here you’ll find the perfect opportunity to save money, gain convenience and enjoy unique list of amenities that just keeps getting longer.
(And if a small town or city further away from the action are more your vibe, DSM has those, too. Check out the Outer Suburbs, Mid-Sized Cities and Small Towns in DSM.)
If you want cozy, but close to the action …
… try Windsor Heights or Beaverdale.
Enjoy green spaces and trails in Windsor Heights, and each summer, Nights in the Heights offers live music at a gathering spot for those who live here, too. Housing in Windsor Heights is affordable and offers a mix of everything from mid-century ranches to homey bungalows, and it’s just 10 minutes from Downtown Des Moines (DSM). So set up a time to walk through Windsor Heights’ homes for sale with The Garlick Team!
Beaverdale might just be Des Moines’ coziest neighborhood, and Sara Hopkins Real Estate Team or Iowa Realty, with more than 45 agents to meet your needs at the Beaverdale office, can help you find a home here. Or search out your perfect home with Maria Torres who sits on the board of the Des Moines Westside Chamber and knows the ins and outs of Des Moines and the greater region. Events like the Beaverdale Fall Festival, Beaverdale Farmers’ Market and the Beaverdale Bluegrass Festival reflect the neighborhood’s welcoming, small-town feel, and the famous Beaverdale brick homes make this community an extra-special place.
Get to know more about Windsor Heights and Des Moines.
If you want cozy, but distanced from the action ...
... try Urbandale or Clive.
Clive neighbors Urbandale and is known for its Greenbelt (with goats!) and namesake festival (with a giant slip-n-slide!). A wide variety of subdivisions offer options for housing in this cozy, quite suburb. Connect with Realtor Jill Miller with RE/MAX Precision or Next Generation Realty (both based in Clive) to start your house hunt. And after you settle in, head to Food Truck Fridays and meet your new neighbors.
Get to know more about Urbandale and Clive.
If you want walkability …
… try Historic Valley Junction in West Des Moines.
With its own farmers’ market and summer concert series, Music in the Junction, and holiday happenings that include Santa, winter carriage rides and more, Historic Valley Junction is more than walkable, it’s the heart and soul of West Des Moines. Realtor Cheryl Corbett’s office is just north of the interstate and less than five miles from Historic Valley Junction — so reach out for more information on a move to the area.
Get to know more about West Des Moines.
If you want a growing, up-and-coming community …
… try Ankeny or Waukee.
Ankeny offers residents plenty of neighborhoods to call home. Reach out to an Agency Iowa, Ankeny Real Estate Group, Caliber Homes or Jen Sullivan Real Estate, to name a few. Whether you’re looking for the walkability of The District at Prairie Trail, a place to support small business owners in the area where you live — that’s easy to do in Uptown — or a home on the outer edges of Ankeny in the Deer Creek neighborhood that can provide more peaceful living away from the hustle and bustle, there are plenty of places for your family to thrive in this northern suburb.
... Or head west and try Waukee, another fast-expanding suburb with a growing list of amenities, restaurants and new construction homes. Connect with Donna Stall or Lynn Harder, both with RE/MAX Concepts and Waukee-based Realtors, or Iowa Realty’s Waukee office to help you find your perfect home. When you live in Waukee, you have the 66-acre Triumph Park and the Waukee Family YMCA in your backyard. How’s that for perks?
Get to know more about Ankeny and Waukee.
If you want to be near shopping at big retailers and other marquee amenities …
If you want to live near the biggest backyard in the state …
… try Johnston.
A place for community gathering, Johnston’s newest amenities at The Yard at Johnston Town Center offer its nearby residents a place to attend events, bike the trails, play outdoor games, grab a drink or ice skate on the rink. You can find a home easily in this suburban community with the help of Adams Family Realty off Chambery Boulevard.
Get to know more about Johnston.
If you want to be surrounded by locally owned businesses …
… try the Historic East Village.
The Historic East Village in Des Moines is home to Winefest's Vino in the Village, First Fridays, the Holiday Promenade and more, which help the Downtown district’s small businesses find customers and keep this diverse neighborhood humming. Housing options include townhomes, condos and apartments.
If you want historic, Victorian homes …
… try Sherman Hill.
It's one of Des Moines’ oldest neighborhoods: Development in Sherman Hill began after land was first purchased in 1850, and the construction of Des Moines’ first postmaster Hoyt Sherman’s Italianate palazzo finished by 1877. The grand building now houses the historic and intimate Hoyt Sherman Place theater. The neighborhood boasts restaurants and local small businesses like the popular fresh eatery, Gateway Market and the nearby Ingersoll cocktail bar, Juniper Moon. Events like trick-or-treating during Halloween on the Hill and the annual “Doors to the Past” walking tour each fall highlight the historic homes in the neighborhood. And don’t forget to attend holiday shows at Hoyt Sherman Place in November and December when festive décor is set up throughout the building.
Get to know more about Des Moines.
Ready to find your home in DSM? Connect with local real estate agents here.