Ankeny, IA vs West Des Moines, IA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
West Des Moines, IA spends 48% more per resident than Ankeny, IA: $14,779 against $9,971. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Ankeny, IA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 61/100 (grade C) against 53/100 (grade C) for West Des Moines, IA — a 8-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Ankeny, IA carries the lighter load at $1,314 per resident versus $2,050 for West Des Moines, IA. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Ankeny, IA at $1,069 per resident and in West Des Moines, IA at $1,257.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Ankeny, IA at 18% of total revenue, whereas West Des Moines, IA relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 48%.
Summary
West Des Moines spends 32.5% more per capita than Ankeny ($4,809/person difference). Ankeny, IA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 61/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $24 |
| Sales Tax | $527 | $677 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $355 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,337 | $16,920 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,633 | $2,669 |
| Other | $3,353 | $3,239 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $146 | $240 |
| Highways & Roads | $10 | $49 |
| Education | $0 | $3 |
| Public Welfare | $957 | $1,500 |
| Health | $379 | $615 |
| Hospitals | $4 | $290 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,069 | $1,257 |
| Housing | $2,088 | $2,213 |
| Sewerage | $313 | $194 |
| Utilities | $1,853 | $669 |
| Other | $3,151 | $7,750 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.