BlockBefore

Urbandale, Iowa

17 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1905 and the latest in 1984. It stands in Webster Township. It lies in ZIP code area 50322. The Survey maps it on the Des Moines NW quadrangle. 45,580 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 945 feet above sea level.

Urbandale within Polk County

On record in Urbandale

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 1 record

Population over time

2 figures

Urbandale grew from 39,463 to 45,580 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
201039,463
202045,580+6,117 (+16%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

9 surveys from 17 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Fires near this place

12 since 2006

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 12 fires within 5 miles of Urbandale between 2006 and 2019, burning about 56 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined8
Equipment and vehicle use4

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
3 June 2018Equipment and vehicle use1.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
2 June 2018Equipment and vehicle use1.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
17 May 2014Equipment and vehicle useunder an acreIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
6 April 2011Missing data/not specified/undetermined15 acresIowa Department of Natural Resources47753 127TH, IA
4 April 2015Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
4 April 2009Missing data/not specified/undetermined6.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
10 April 2018Missing data/not specified/undetermined3.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
30 March 2019Equipment and vehicle use3.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Polk County

Mines and quarries near this place

10 of 11 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 11 workings within 5 miles of Urbandale: 6 past producers, 5 producers. 5 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Stone, Crushed/Broken, Clay, Zinc. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Drill HoleZincPast ProducerSphalerite
Can-Tex Industries West PitClayProducer
Iowa Clay Pipe Co. PitClayPast Producer
Marquette Cement PlantStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Penn-Dixie Cement PlantStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
West Des Moines Plant #8Stone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Des Moines North Pit & PlantSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Johnston Pit & PlantSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Morning Star PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnknownSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every working recorded in Polk County

Storms near this place

60 of 107 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Urbandale in 107 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 43 thunderstorm wind, 32 hail, 19 heavy rain, 8 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
June 1998Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$2,000,000no account filed
June 1998Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$500,000no account filed
June 2018Flash FloodUrbandale$300,000A home was flooded by Rocklyn Creek which caused a divider wall in the duplex to fail and collapse. Two residents were stuck in side and swam to safety through a downstairs window. The remaining residents were evacuated. Soon after the home exploded due to a gas leak when the wall collapsed. The explosion damaged a few nearby homes as well.
June 2018Flash FloodUrbandale$250,000Public reported heavy rainfall of 2.68 inches measured at 8:47 pm. Multiple cars were also stalled on Meredith Ave with an estimated 8 inches of water rush down 67th St to Meredith.
May 2017Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$100,000Emergency manager stated dozens of reports of power lines down, trees down, power outages from transformer damage, and motor vehicle crashes all suspected to be storm related. Metro wide reports too numerous to report.
June 2010Heavy RainUrbandale$100,000Standing water 6 inches deep just south of Douglas and Merle Hay, couple inches of flowing water at 63rd and Hickman, 1-2 feet of standing water at Washington and 68th.
August 2002Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$100,000no account filed
May 2024Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$75,000Public reported tree down on house. Estimated 2 feet in diameter. Time estimated from radar.
June 2001HailUrbandale$75,000no account filed
August 2016Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$50,000Mid American Energy reported powerlines down in Urbandale, via social media. Time estimated from radar.
September 2013Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$50,000Minor damage to the roof of a business at the corner of Urbandale Ave and Merle Hay Road.
September 2013Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$50,000Partial roof damage to business located at 5900 Douglas Avenue.
August 2010Flash FloodUrbandale$50,000Several vehicles stalled at the intersection of Northwest Urbandale Drive and Meredith Drive, also at Douglas Ave and Aurora Ave by 1 to 1.5 feet of water flowing through the intersections.
August 2010Flash FloodUrbandale$50,000Emergency manager reported tire-deep water flowing down the road at the intersection of 86th and I-80. Power loss and several vehicles stalled.
June 2008HailUrbandale$50,000Law enforcement reported quarter to golf ball size hail at 86th and Douglas in Urbandale, and also at 100th and Swanson in Clive.
May 2014HailUrbandale$50,000no account filed
June 1997Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$50,000no account filed
May 2013Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$25,000Measured wind for 5 minutes.
September 2013Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$25,000Many tree branches down and a few power lines down.
June 2011HailUrbandale$25,000Mainly nickel and quarter hail with a few the size of golf balls at the Urbandale Golf and Country Club.
July 2010Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$25,000Trained spotter estimated wind gust to 70 MPH.
June 2008Flash FloodUrbandale$25,000Flash flooding was reported at Hickman and Merle Hay Rd, and on MLK near Douglas and Euclid avenues. The roads were flooded from curb to curb.
June 2008Flash FloodUrbandale$25,000Waist high water in the road near 47th and 48th Streets between Hickman and Beaver Crest. Report received from KCCI TV.
August 2002Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$25,000no account filed
June 2001HailUrbandale$25,000no account filed
June 2014Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$20,000Medium size tree limb damage reported.
July 2008FloodUrbandale$20,000One foot of water was covering the road near 86th and Meredith.
August 2007LightningUrbandale$20,000no account filed
September 2013Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$15,000Winds estimated at 60 MPH.
July 2015LightningUrbandale$10,000Westcom dispatch reported fire due to lightning strike along 86th st.
June 2008Flash FloodUrbandale$10,000Two and one half feet of water in the intersection of 63rd and Hickman Road.
July 2008Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$10,000Tree damage reported as well.
June 2014Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$10,000no account filed
May 2008LightningUrbandale$10,000no account filed
June 2007HailUrbandale$10,000no account filed
June 2001HailUrbandale$10,000no account filed
June 1999LightningUrbandale$8,000no account filed
May 2014Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$5,000Wind gusts estimated at 60 to 70 MPH.
August 2012Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$5,000Four inch diameter tree limbs down in the neighborhood around his residence.
June 2008Flash FloodUrbandale$5,000Water flowing over Douglas near Merle Hay Road.
August 2012HailUrbandale$5,000no account filed
March 2007HailUrbandale$5,000no account filed
April 2006Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$5,000no account filed
June 2005HailUrbandale$5,000no account filed
April 2003HailUrbandale$5,000no account filed
June 2000Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$5,000no account filed
June 1998Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$5,000no account filed
June 1998Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$5,000no account filed
April 1994HailUrbandale$5,000no account filed
August 2014Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$3,000Limbs were blown off of trees.
August 2009Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$3,000Minor tree limb damage.
June 2018Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$2,000Public reported a 7 inch diameter tree branch down at 67th and Meredith.
September 2013Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$2,000Two to three inch diameter limb driven through a car windshield near Douglas and 68th St.
March 2011HailUrbandale$2,000Located at 67th and Douglas Ave.
July 2008Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$2,000Four inch diameter trees down.
March 2011HailUrbandale$2,000no account filed
June 2008HailUrbandale$2,000no account filed
April 2006Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$2,000no account filed
July 2006Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$2,000no account filed
July 2006Thunderstorm WindUrbandale$2,000no account filed

Every storm recorded in Polk County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Crestwood1.4 miles16
Clive1.7 miles16
Lovington1.9 miles17
Windsor Heights2.0 miles16
Rider (historical)3.3 miles11
Johnston3.3 miles17
West Des Moines3.4 miles16
Valley Junction4.0 miles16

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on UrbandaleAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q985556The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 462504. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.