Buying a Home in West Des Moines
The metro's retail and dining hub, with established and brand-new neighborhoods.
West Des Moines is one of the metro's most popular places to land, combining mature, tree-lined neighborhoods on the east side with newer master-planned developments out west around Jordan Creek. It's home to Jordan Creek Town Center — the largest shopping mall in Iowa — plus a deep bench of restaurants, parks, and employers.
It tends to attract families and professionals who want a bit of everything: walkable retail, strong amenities, and a range of housing from older ranches to new builds.
Highlights
- Jordan Creek Town Center: shopping, dining, and the cinema district
- Historic Valley Junction: local shops, farmers' market, and nightlife
- A wide housing range — established east-side homes to new west-side construction
- Extensive parks and the Raccoon River Valley trail access
West Des Moines by the numbers
Home value, rent & market activity: Zillow Research (2026-08). Income & demographics: U.S. Census ACS (5-year).
Browse current West Des Moines listings on Zillow →
School choice: who is moving in, and out
Iowa lets parents enroll a child in a public district other than the one they live in (Iowa Code §282.18). The state publishes the counts, which shows something a school rating cannot: which districts families are actively choosing, and which they are leaving.
School district boundaries do not follow city limits. Figures below describe the district, not the city, and the two can differ a great deal: only about half the children living in the city of Urbandale attend Urbandale schools, while Waukee's district reaches well beyond Waukee. Check any specific address before relying on this.
Source: Iowa Department of Education, Certified Enrollment by District, 2025-26 school year. The bar shows transfers in and out as shares of all transfers, not the net. Percentages are of certified enrollment — every student living in the district, whichever school they attend. A net loss is not a verdict on a school — large districts lose more simply by being large, and families transfer for childcare, a parent's commute and sibling placement as well as for academics.
Schools
Primarily served by the West Des Moines Community School District, with parts in the Waukee and Clive areas attending neighboring districts. Confirm the exact attendance boundary for any specific address.
Getting around
Quick access to I-35/80 and the Jordan Creek Parkway corridor; roughly 15–20 minutes to downtown Des Moines outside of rush hour.
Metro context
Source: Realtor.com via FRED (metro); Zillow Research (value/rent); U.S. Census ACS (demographics) · Des Moines–West Des Moines, IA · updated 2026-08.
Estimate buy vs rent for West Des Moines →
General guide only — verify school boundaries, taxes, and current prices for any specific address. Not real-estate or financial advice.