Des Moines Senior AdvisorAnkeny sits along Interstate 35 in northern Polk County, home to the main Des Moines Area Community College campus and the Prairie Trail district, with about 77,833 residents in 2025 Census estimates, now the metro's second-largest city.
Ankeny's growth brought a wave of new assisted living and memory care, a large skilled nursing campus and a specialized brain injury program, along with an adult day center. Families from Bondurant, Alleman and Polk City usually compare Ankeny first.
How much licensed senior care does Ankeny, Iowa have?
Ankeny had about 77,833 residents in Census Bureau estimates for July 1, 2025, and DIAL lists 9 certified assisted living programs and 4 nursing facilities with Ankeny addresses.
| Found in Ankeny | Not found in Ankeny | |
|---|---|---|
| Certified or licensed with a local address (DIAL) | Assisted living programs: 9, Nursing facilities: 3, Adult day services: 1, Home health agencies: 1, Hospices: 2 | — |
| No local certificate or license on file | — | Residential care facilities, Hospice houses |
| Dementia-specific assisted living | 5 programs | — |
Which assisted living programs are certified in Ankeny?
DIAL's current roster lists 9 certified assisted living programs in Ankeny, 5 of them dementia-specific; StoryPoint Ankeny (assisted living) is the largest at 182 units.
| Facility | Type | Units or beds | Last DIAL survey (approx.) | State fines since 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| StoryPoint Ankeny (assisted living) 2855 SW Vintage Parkway, 50023 | ALP | 182 | January 2025 | 0 |
| Rock Creek Senior Living 3602 NW 5th Street, 50023 | ALP/D | 170 | June 2021 | 0 |
| StoryPoint Siena Hills 455 SW Ankeny Road, 50021 | ALP/D | 132 | July 2026 | 0 |
| Independence Village of Ankeny AL 1275 SW State Street, 50023 | ALP | 88 | August 2025 | 2 |
| Mill Pond AL 1201 SE Mill Pond Court, 50021 | ALP | 80 | March 2024 | 0 |
| Suites of Ankeny 420 NW Ash Drive, 50021 | ALP | 68 | June 2025 | 0 |
| StoryPoint Ankeny (memory care) 2855 SW Vintage Parkway, 50023 | ALP/D | 64 | January 2025 | 1 |
| Mill Pond ALP/D 1201 SE Mill Pond Ct, 50021 | ALP/D | 36 | March 2024 | 0 |
| Independence Village of Ankeny MC 1275 SW State Street, 50023 | ALP/D | 20 | April 2024 | 0 |
Which nursing homes are in Ankeny, and how does CMS rate them?
Ankeny has 4 licensed nursing facilities with 282 licensed beds; of the 4 that CMS rates, 2 hold four or five stars.
| Facility | CMS overall rating | Units or beds | Last CMS health inspection | Deficiencies cited | State fines since 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mill Pond 1201 SE Mill Pond Court, 50021 | 5 of 5 | 60 | March 19, 2026 | 3 | 2 |
| On With Life 715 SW Ankeny Road, 50023 Serves adults with disabilities or mental illness | 4 of 5 | 28 | September 4, 2025 | 1 | 1 |
| Sunny View Care Center 410 NW Ash Drive, 50023 | 2 of 5 | 94 | January 14, 2026 | 9 | 2 |
| The Bridges at Ankeny 3510 Northwest Abilene Road, 50023 | 2 of 5 | 100 | March 17, 2026 | 8 | 2 |
Which home health, hospice and adult day providers have offices in Ankeny?
DIAL's roster shows 1 home health agency, 2 hospices and hospice houses and 1 adult day program at Ankeny addresses; agencies typically serve clients far beyond their office.
- New Horizons Center: adult day services program, license ADS018, capacity 22
- Freedom Home Health Care, INC: home health agency
- Compassus Central Iowa: hospice
- St. Croix Hospice: hospice
Have any Ankeny facilities been fined by the state?
Yes: DIAL's Assessed Fines Report lists state fines from visits ending January 2023 to November 2026 for 6 certified or licensed facilities in Ankeny.
- Independence Village of Ankeny AL: 2 fines, most recently after a visit ending May 1, 2024 ($7,000 issued)
- StoryPoint Ankeny (memory care): 1 fine, most recently after a visit ending April 6, 2026 ($4,000 issued)
- Mill Pond: 2 fines, most recently after a visit ending April 15, 2024 ($500 issued)
- On With Life: 1 fine, most recently after a visit ending June 11, 2026 ($6,000 issued)
- Sunny View Care Center: 2 fines, most recently after a visit ending April 30, 2026 ($5,000 issued)
- The Bridges at Ankeny: 2 fines, most recently after a visit ending March 17, 2026 ($5,250 issued)
Each facility page lists the amounts. A past fine is not proof of a present problem; ask what changed.
How close is Ankeny to a hospital?
From the middle of the area, the nearest general hospitals on DIAL's roster are UnityPoint Health Des Moines Iowa Lutheran (about 8.3 miles) and Broadlawns Medical Center (about 8.4 miles).
MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center is about 8.4 miles away. All are straight-line distances between ZIP code centers, good for comparing places but not for estimating drive times.
Where can Ankeny families get free senior help?
Older adults in Polk County are served by Aging Resources of Central Iowa, the Area Agency on Aging at 5838 Grand Avenue, Suite 106, Des Moines, IA 50312 ((515) 255-1310, toll-free 1-800-747-5352), which handles information and assistance, options counseling, caregiver support, meal programs and elder rights.
Complaints about a certified program or licensed facility go to DIAL ((515) 381-7272 or its online complaint portal); suspected abuse of a dependent adult living at home goes to Iowa HHS at 1-800-362-2178. PACE is available here: Immanuel Pathways Central Iowa ((515) 270-5000, 7700 Hickman Road, Windsor Heights, IA 50324) enrolls Polk County residents aged 55 and older who meet nursing facility level of care.
