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37. Ankeny, IA
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Ankeny, IA
37

High Trestle Trail Bridge, north of Ankeny

Top 50 rank: 37
Population: 46,973

Ankeny is one of the fastest-growing places in Iowa, thanks in part to its low cost of living and enviable 3.4% unemployment rate. In town, big employers include Monsanto and John Deere, while Des Moines jobs are just 10 miles away. Ankeny also offers affordable homes (the median price is below $200,000).

A municipal golf course, 40 parks, and 73 miles of paved trails keep residents entertained. Plus, a new outdoor market and community gathering spot is in the works. --H.L.

@CNNMoney
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Ankeny, IA
Town stats
Median family income (per year)
$89,479
Job growth % (2010-2012)
5.05%
Median home price (2012)
$170,000
Reading test scores (% above/below average)
19.8%
Math test scores (% above/below average)
16.7%
Personal crime incidents (per 1,000)
1
Property crime incidents (per 1,000)
14
Financials
Town stats
Median family income (per year)
$89,479
Family purchasing power (annual, cost-of-living adjusted)
$99,124
Sales tax
6.00%
State income tax rate (highest bracket)
8.98%I
State income tax rate (lowest bracket)
0.36%I
Auto insurance premiums (Average price quotes, for the state)
$1,394
Job growth % (2010-2012)
5.05%
Housing
Median home price (2012)
$170,000
Average property taxes
(2011)
$3,488
Education
Reading test scores (% above/below state average)
19.8%
Test scores math (% above/below average)
16.7%
% students attending public/private schools (located within town limits)
96.2/3.8
Quality of life
Air quality index* (% of days AQI ranked as good)
83.3%
Personal crime incidents (per 1,000)
1
Property crime incidents (per 1,000)
14
Median commute time (in minutes)
20.6
% population with commute 45 mins. or longer
5.0%
% population walk or bike to work
2.4%
Leisure and culture
Arts funding (Dollars per person of state funds spent on arts)
0.4
Weather
Annual rainfall (inches)
34.72
% clear days in the area
55%
High temp in July ° F
85.8°
Low temp in Jan ° F
8.7°
Meet the neighbors
Median age
32.3
Completed at least some college (% of residents)
76.5%
Married %
62.0%
Divorced %
7.5%
Racial diversity index (100 is national average; higher numbers indicate greater diversity)
20.5
View moreless See Ankeny homes for sale
From the September 2013 issue

Source: Onboard Informatics. Details


(I) Income tax notes:
17 states have statutory provision for automatically adjusting to the rate of inflation the dollar values of the income tax brackets, standard deductions, and/or personal exemptions. Massachusetts, Michigan, and Nebraska index the personal exemption only. Oregon does not index the income brackets for $125,000 and over.
The personal exemption takes the form of a tax credit instead of a deduction.
Is Ankeny a great town, or what?
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  • Homes for sale
  • Ankeny real estate
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Fan Favorite Towns

Money picked the top 100. Now it's your turn: Which town will be our fan favorite? 'Like' your town and it might just make it to No. 1.

Town # of Likes
1. Sharon, MA 11,968
2. Apex, NC 10,738
3. Westford, MA 6,023
4. Peachtree City, GA 5,632
5. Hillsborough, NJ 5,329
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How we pick the Best Places
Using statistics from data services company Onboard Informatics and other sources, we crunched the numbers in order to zero in on America's best small towns for families. (Last year, we looked at small cities, with populations between 50,000 and 300,000.) More

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