Retirement Communities in Ankeny, Iowa

CaringScore for Ankeny, IA

CaringScore was designed to help millions of Americans find the best places to retire, age in place, or receive eldercare. The CaringScore for retirement communities in Ankeny was based on more than 50 factors in three key categories: health, cost, and livability. By compiling and analyzing this data, Caring.com is able to rate the quality of life you or a loved one might expect should you choose retirement communities in Ankeny.

CaringScore can range from 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and provides a quick way to compare cities, counties, and even specific zip codes. With a CaringScore of 6.6, Ankeny rates above average for those seeking retirement communities.

The charts below highlight a few of the factors we used to calculate the CaringScore for Ankeny. Choose a category score to learn more.

Physicians Per Capita

Cost of Healthcare Index

Sunny Days Per Year

HealthScore for Ankeny, IA

HealthScore, a component of the overall CaringScore for retirement communities in Ankeny, rates a region on a scale of 1 (less healthful) to 10 (more healthful). It's specifically tailored to anyone looking for retirement communities. The HealthScore for Ankeny is based on the availability of healthcare resources, air and water quality, the overall health of the local population, and other key factors. With a HealthScore of 7.1, Ankeny rates above average for those seeking retirement communities.

Easy access to physicians -- especially geriatricians and other key specialists -- is important to older adults seeking retirement communities. At 279.3 physicians per capita, Ankeny scores 26.7 percent better than the national average. Ankeny scores about average in geriatricians per capita, with 1.4, and scores 34.9 percent better than the national average in specialists per capita, with 26.3. These medical specialists include cardiologists, oncologists, and orthopedists. The average life expectancy from birth in Ankeny is 78.9 years -- 1.3 percent higher than most of the country. Air quality in Ankeny -- one factor in gauging the healthfulness of a region -- is 21.7 percent below average, and water quality -- another key measure of Ankeny's environmental health -- is 9.1 percent above average.

Doctors Per Capita	Ankeny, IA	Nat'l Avg
Physicians	279.3	220.5
Geriatricians	1.4	1.3
Cardiologists	11.3	7.7
Oncologists	4.6	3.5
Orthopedists	9	7

Average Life Expectancy

CostScore for Ankeny, IA

CostScore, part of the overall CaringScore for retirement communities in Ankeny, rates the cost of living for older adults on a scale of 1 (more expensive) to 10 (less expensive). It's specifically tailored to people looking for retirement communities. The CostScore for Ankeny is based on data such as the average monthly cost of retirement communities in the region, cost of living indices such as housing and healthcare, regional tax rates, and other key factors. With a CostScore of 7.3, the costs associated with retirement communities in Ankeny are generally less expensive than the national average.

Because of the broad range of housing, service, and healthcare options available at retirement communities, no average monthly cost data is available for Ankeny. The entry fee or purchase price for an independent living community can range from $50,000 to $500,000 or more, and typically requires an additional monthly service fee of $1,000 to $3,000 on average. The cost of living indices below provide the best proxy for comparing costs of retirement communities in Ankeny to the rest of the country. Overall, the cost of living for Ankeny is roughly equal to the national average. Average healthcare costs are 13.0 percent cheaper than the national average, and the cost of housing index is 103 of 10, which mirrors the rest of the country.

Cost of Living	Ankeny, IA
Aggregate Index	95
Healthcare Index	87
Housing Index	103
Food Index	94
Utilities Index	91
Transportation Index	99

Cost of Healthcare Index

LivabilityScore for Ankeny, IA

LivabilityScore makes up part of the overall CaringScore for retirement communities in Ankeny. On a scale of 1 (less livable) to 10 (more livable), it's a rating of the quality of life in a region, specifically tailored to those looking for retirement communities. The LivabilityScore for Ankeny is based on weather, crime rates, economic factors, average age of the population, and other key demographics. With a LivabilityScore of 4.6, Ankeny is on par with the national average for retirement communities.

Weather is an important factor in choosing the best place for retirement communities. The sun shines an average of 204 days each year in Ankeny, which is about average in the U.S. With an average temperature of 10°F in January, winters tend to be colder in Ankeny than in other parts of the country, and summers often mirror nationwide seasonal trends, averaging 86°F in July.

Local crime rates are another important indicator. The violent crime rate in Ankeny is 25.0 percent higher than the national average, and the property crime rate is 25.0 percent higher than average. At $67,876 per year, the population of Ankeny earns a better than average median household income. Ankeny has an unemployment rate of 4.30 percent, roughly 52.7 percent lower than the national average. And about 9.57 percent of the population in Ankeny is of retirement age -- 65 or older -- which trails the national average by 27.3 percent.

Sunny Days Per Year

Avg Temperature (°F)

Property Crime Index

Amenities Per Capita	Ankeny	Nat'l Avg
Parks	3.7	136.1
Libraries	4.2	18.8
Places of Worship	76.9	220.5
Public Transit	157.5	110.4
Grocery Stores	47	97.7
Pharmacies	9.4	13.8

Percent of Population Over Age 65