This one's a keeper. We pulled the public record on the town we live in and put it all in one place. Bookmark it, forward it — here's Ankeny, by the numbers.
There's a mandatory, city-wide ban on all lawn watering right now — residential and commercial — until further notice. Central Iowa Water Works moved to Stage 3 of its Water Conservation Plan on June 8 because of high nitrate levels in the source water. No lawn irrigation, period. Details: ankenyiowa.gov/851/Water-Conservation-Plan.
Five businesses registered here just this week. First look at who's setting up shop:
35 homes sold in the most recent week of county records. The three that turned heads:
Median by month: March $351,795 → April $299,900 → May $336,000 → June $339,000. Spring spiked, then settled into the low-$330s — a steady summer floor.
Most active streets this year: NE 19th, NW 17th, and NE 12th.
The city issued 263 permits worth $73.6M in the latest month — led by the new $41.5M school, a $9.5M Baker Group office addition on SE Corporate Woods Dr, and a $4.28M manufacturing plant on SE Northstar. On the home front, 28 new houses broke ground, Greenland Homes and DS Solid neck-and-neck at six apiece.
Priciest home of the year so far: $2.1M at 2505 NE Bellagio Ct (5,300 sq ft). Priciest permit: that $41.5M school. One family, one whole district — both betting big on the same zip code.
Top sit-down spots by aggregate review score (mid-2026):
Ankeny runs on coffee, and the ratings agree. Top of the list: 7 Brew (4.7★) for the drive-thru crowd, plus local favorites Porch Light Coffeehouse, Cafe Diem, Blue Bean, Smokey Row, and Twisted Bean.
Two projects worth routing around this summer. The South Ankeny Boulevard rebuild (SE Peterson Drive to First Street) is a two-year job — utilities, new pavement, turn lanes, and a raised median — so expect lane closures through that corridor for a while. And out on I-35, new northbound lanes are going in the whole stretch from Ankeny to Huxley, with the new NE 158th Avenue bridge opening this month. Live map: ankenyiowa.gov/construction.
Top-rated elementaries: Prairie Trail, Northeast, and Crocker. That $41.5M school? Built to keep up with all those young families.
Casey's General Stores is headquartered right here (1 SE Convenience Blvd) — one of just two Fortune 500 companies based in Iowa. The numbers: 2,950 stores across 19 states, 40,000+ employees, and it's the third-largest convenience chain in the country (largest that's wholly American-owned). The breakfast-pizza empire runs from our backyard.
The City Council's FY2026 budget holds the city property-tax levy at $9.90 per $1,000 of taxable value — the lowest of any Des Moines-metro city over 5,000 people. Total city budget: $198M ($152M to run the city, $46M for capital projects). Worth knowing: the city is only one slice of your tax bill — the county, DMACC, DART, and the school district levy the rest.
Property crime ticked up a bit — the usual reminder to lock the car.
The High Trestle Trail starts right here — the Ankeny trailhead is on the north side of town along 1st Street — and runs 25 miles to its showstopper: a half-mile, 13-story-high bridge over the Des Moines River valley, one of the largest trail bridges in the world (go at dusk when the blue lights come on). From Ankeny it links to the Gay Lea Wilson, Oralabor Gateway, Neal Smith, and Chichaqua Valley trails — and on to the Raccoon River Valley Trail, the longest paved loop in the country. A 2024 connection stitched it all into a 120-mile continuous loop. We also have 40+ city parks, 80 miles of local trails, and the 7.5-acre Ankeny Dog Park.
Ten minutes northwest: a 26,000-acre Army Corps reservoir with two swim beaches (Oak Grove's best for families), a 24-mile paved trail along the water, 11 campgrounds, and fishing for walleye, wiper, largemouth bass, catfish, crappie, and northern pike.
Iowa's 2026–27 season openers worth circling:
Confirm legal dates, zones, and tags at iowadnr.gov. Public land close to home: Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt in NE Polk County. Fishing needs only a license — no season.
Market notes: a special Thursday market July 2 (4–8pm), and it's closed July 11 for the SummerFest parade.
Our big one. The carnival opens Thursday July 9 at The District at Prairie Trail, with live music Friday–Sunday, 24+ food vendors, a lip-sync contest, and the Grand Parade Saturday the 11th capped by fireworks. This year's theme: "Jingle in July." Park at DMACC and shuttle in.
A starter directory of weekend services — there are nearly 30 congregations in town:
Your congregation not listed? Reply and we'll add it.
Kirkendall Public Library's Summer Library Program is in full swing. This week (June 24–29) is the Book Giveaway — hit the halfway point and take home a free book. Mark the calendar for the Finale Pool Party on July 30 (7:15–9:15pm). It's at 1250 SW District Dr.
The friendliest rivalry in town is Ankeny High (Hawks) vs. Ankeny Centennial (Jaguars). Latest from the brainy side: Centennial's Quiz Bowl team are back-to-back Iowa state champions — they won their first-ever title over Ankeny High (which had held it three years), then defended it in a record ten-overtime final over Johnston. Football kicks off in late August; we'll keep tabs on both all year.
The General Election is Tuesday, November 3, 2026 — polls open 7am–8pm. The dates to know:
Check or update your registration through the Polk County Auditor. We'll run a plain-English ballot guide closer to November.
The biggest project in town is the $41,450,789 school on N Ankeny Blvd (permit to Stahl Construction). We follow the public money, milestone by milestone — straight from the record, no spin.
One last number: the oldest home to sell in Ankeny this year was built in 1880 — it went for $120,000 out on NE 6th St. A 146-year-old farmhouse and a $2.1M new build, same town, same year. That's Ankeny in two data points.
That's your town, by the numbers. If a neighbor would like this, forward it — that's how this thing grows. See you next week. ●