City · Dallas County, Iowa

Van Meter, Iowa

Van Meter is a city in Dallas County, Iowa, part of the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area. It has 1,628 residents. Van Meter, Iowa has a quality-of-life score of 99 out of 100 (very high), ranking #161 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Iowa it ranks #4 of 281 cities and towns. It ranks best on voter turnout (high), injury deaths (low) and child care cost burden (low). It ranks worst on mental health providers (low), dentists (low) and pharmacies (low).

99Very high

Quality-of-life score: #161 of 15,651 cities and towns
Iowa: #4 of 281 in IA
Population: 1,628 (2020-2024)
Land area: 4 mi²
Density: 372.0 /mi²
FIPS code: 1980445

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 73 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety87#2,045/15,637
Economy100#70/15,631
Housing98#268/14,977
Health96#624/15,609
Healthcare52#7,489/15,650
Environment93#1,096/15,453
Education95#797/15,649
Infrastructure95#834/15,650
Community91#1,486/15,651
Leisure & amenities43#8,842/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Van Meter, Iowa ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Dallas County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Voter turnout · high84.9%
99/100Iowa 70.3%United States 65.2%2024U.S. Election Assistance CommissionDallas County value
Injury deaths · low44 /100k
99/100Iowa 76 /100kUnited States 87 /100k2019-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteDallas County value
Child care cost burden · low17.8%
98/100Iowa 22.9%United States 27.9%2023 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteDallas County value
Drought exposure · low0%
98/100Iowa 13%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAADallas County value
Food insecurity · low6.4%
98/100Iowa 12.7%United States 15.6%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Premature death · low4,254 /100k
98/100Iowa 7,015 /100kUnited States 8,123 /100k2021-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteDallas County value

Weaknesses

Mental health providers · low46 /100k
5/100Iowa 226 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteDallas County value
Dentists · low29 /100k
10/100Iowa 73 /100kUnited States 75 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteDallas County value
Pharmacies · low0.9 /10k
12/100Iowa 1.5 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsDallas County value
Distance to an emergency room · high11.1 mi
13/100Iowa 5.8 miUnited States 5.5 miJul 2026Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesDallas County value
Grocery stores · low1.1 /10k
19/100Iowa 1.9 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsDallas County value
Primary care physicians · low42 /100k
23/100Iowa 74 /100kUnited States 76 /100k2022University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteDallas County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationRising
1,239 (2015-2019) → 1,628 (2020-2024)
+31%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
New homes permittedImproving
6.5 /1k (2021) → 12.9 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
+97%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Bachelor's degree or higherImproving
25.9% (2015-2019) → 43.4% (2020-2024)
+17 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%
Median household incomeImproving
$94,375 (2015-2019) → $135,139 (2020-2024)
+43%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
89.6% (2015-2019) → 95.4% (2020-2024)
+5.7 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Uninsured residents (under 65)Improving
10.3% (2015-2019) → 7.5% (2020-2024)
−2.9 pts5 yearsCensus table B27010US 10.8% → 9.8%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Van Meter, Iowa improved on 2 of 9 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 7 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved2

Bachelor's++17 points25.9% → 43.4%
Household income+43%$94,375 → $135,139

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 9 measures

Change of every measure of Van Meter, Iowa between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	20.7 min2015-2019	22.0 min2020-2024	+1.2 min	Within the margin of error	34%
Bachelor's degree or higher	25.9%2015-2019	43.4%2020-2024	+17 points	Improved	98%
Broadband subscriptions	89.6%2015-2019	95.4%2020-2024	+5.7 points	Within the margin of error	36%
Effective property tax rate	1.39%2015-2019	1.30%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	32%
High school diploma or higher	95.2%2015-2019	97.7%2020-2024	+2.5 points	Within the margin of error	63%
Home price to income ratio	1.8×2015-2019	2.0×2020-2024	+0.2×	Within the margin of error	71%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.3512015-2019	0.3692020-2024	+0.019	Within the margin of error	35%
Median household income	$94,3752015-2019	$135,1392020-2024	+43%	Improved	78%
Rent as share of income	19.6%2015-2019	21.8%2020-2024	+2.2 points	Within the margin of error	38%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Van Meter, Iowa five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Van Meter, Iowa in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Van Meter, Iowa itself moved +1.2 points in standing on average over the same 9 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

1,628 residents (±439)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 10–19 women (+7.6 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

1,628 residents (±439)

Van Meter, Iowa
Iowa share

White97%1,584
Black0.0%0
Hispanic or Latino0.4%†6
Asian0.0%0
American Indian and Alaska Native0.0%0
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander0.0%0
Other or two or more races2.3%†38

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B03002View table on data.census.gov

Education

996 residents (±213)

Van Meter, Iowa
Iowa share

No high school diploma2.3%†23
High school or GED23%†230
Some college16%158
Associate degree15%†153
Bachelor's degree32%320
Graduate degree11%†112

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Bachelor's degree (+12.3 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B15003View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

497 households (±96)

Van Meter, Iowa
Iowa share

Under $25k5.2%†26
$25k–50k3.6%†18
$50k–75k12%†60
$75k–100k9.7%†48
$100k–150k24%†119
$150k–200k28%†137
$200k or more18%†89

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $150k–200k (+19.5 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

497 households (±96)

Van Meter, Iowa
Iowa share

Own93%460
Rent7.4%†37

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+13.9 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

33 households (±22)

Van Meter, Iowa
Iowa share

Under $75027%†9
$750–1,00018%†6
$1,000–1,50039%†13

Home values

460 homes (±94)

Van Meter, Iowa
Iowa share

Under $150k9.3%†43
$150k–250k35%163
$250k–400k28%†131

Age of homes

502 homes (±95)

Van Meter, Iowa
Iowa share

2010 or later24%119
2000–200916%†79
1980–199915%†76

Size of homes

502 homes (±95)

Van Meter, Iowa
Iowa share

Studio0.4%†2
1 bedroom3.0%†15
2 bedrooms14%†72

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

839 workers (±222)

Van Meter, Iowa
Iowa share

Drive alone80%674
Carpool2.5%†21
Public transit0.0%0
Walk0.1%†1
Bike0.5%†4
Work from home17%†139
Other0.0%0

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Work from home (+15.6 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

700 workers (±172)

Van Meter, Iowa
Iowa share

Under 15 min16%†110
15–29 min62%435
30–44 min16%†112

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Dallas County, the county holding most of Van Meter's residents.

Dallas County has 2,521 employer establishments, 226 for every 10,000 residents (0.91× the US rate of 248; 0.87× Iowa's), with 46,640 paid employees at an average annual pay of $70,497. The Census Bureau also counts 9,308 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 2,521; 9,308 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 226; US 248 · Iowa 259
Paid employees: 46,640
Average annual pay: $70,497; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Dallas County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	201	18.1	0.87×About typical	2,144	$78,031	378
Lessors of real estate	192	17.2	1.40×More than typical	865	$87,386	1,160
Specialty trade contractors	175	15.7	1.02×About typical	1,120	$59,943	518
Restaurants and other eating places	167	15	0.82×About typical	3,279	$23,605	28
Real estate agents and brokers	111	10	2.05×More than typical	146	$79,534	270
Management, scientific and technical consulting	90	8.1	1.20×About typical	603	$92,489	430
Services to buildings and dwellings	89	8	1.19×About typical	2,331	$55,976	356
Construction of buildings	87	7.8	1.03×About typical	309	$62,560	253
Offices of other health practitioners	85	7.6	1.26×More than typical	428	$54,334	186
Clothing and accessories stores	80	7.2	1.98×More than typical	1,125	$21,207	100
Computer systems design and related services	77	6.9	1.60×More than typical	442	$91,600	144
Insurance agencies and brokerages	73	6.6	1.49×More than typical	932	$130,972	266

Rank places for an industry Open Dallas County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 111,321 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

No federal contract obligations recorded here in FY2026.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Van Meter is mostly in Dallas County.

See federal money in Dallas County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Van Meter, Iowa is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Zachary NunnR-IA-3 · 100% of residentsWith party 95%Missed 4.6%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Dallas County100100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA98

Other cities and towns in Dallas County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/1980445