West Des Moines, Waukee and the Dallas County Senior Living Boom

A young county that is aging in place

Dallas County counted about 118,457 residents in 2025 Census estimates, with only 14.5 percent aged 65 or older and a median age of 36.7, the youngest profile of the six metro counties. Waukee alone grew from about 23,941 residents in the 2020 base to 34,890 in 2025, and West Des Moines, which spans four counties, reached 74,224.

Young counties still have aging parents. Many families who settled in the west suburbs now want a parent nearby, either moving them in from rural Iowa or from out of state. Senior living developers noticed.

What the roster shows

Source: Iowa DIAL Health Facilities Division Entity Report, run November 6, 2026. West Des Moines programs with Polk County addresses are not included in this Dallas County table.

Newer buildings, paired certificates

Most of the Dallas County programs are recent, and most newer projects pair a general assisted living certificate with a dementia-specific one at the same address. That design lets a parent start in an apartment and move to the secured memory care side later, which is one reason families in the west metro rarely have to cross the city when needs change.

Newer construction usually means larger apartments and more amenities, and usually higher quotes than the Iowa median of about $5,100 a month.

What is missing in the west metro

Nursing facility beds have not grown as fast. Waukee has no nursing facility, and families needing nursing care compare West Des Moines, Clive, Adel and Granger. Madison County, just south-west, has a single nursing facility in Winterset and no certified assisted living program, so families there often look to West Des Moines and Waukee.

Check whether a community you like is part of a campus with nursing beds, or has an arrangement with a nearby nursing facility for rehab stays.

Moving a parent to the west metro

Many west-metro families are bringing a parent from small-town Iowa or another state. Within Iowa, Medicaid and Elderly Waiver eligibility continue after a move, though the case manager and managed care network may change. From another state, Medicaid does not transfer: a parent must establish Iowa residency and apply under Iowa's rules. Medicare Advantage and Part D plans are tied to a service area, and a move opens a special enrollment period.

Plan the move around the care setting rather than the other way round: choose the program, confirm it can meet your parent's needs under Iowa's admission rules, and line up new doctors before the moving truck arrives.

The trade-offs of a newer building

New construction brings advantages: larger apartments, modern bathrooms and safety features, and designs that pair assisted living with memory care. It also brings questions. A program that opened recently has a short monitoring history, its staff may be new to each other, and its rates may rise as the building fills. Ask how many apartments are occupied, how long the manager and nurse have been in place, and what rate increases tenants have seen since opening. An established nonprofit campus in Des Moines or Urbandale may be worth touring for comparison.

How to compare west-metro programs

Shortlist by location first, then compare each program's certificate type, units and the approximate date of DIAL's last visit on our facility pages. Ask whether the program accepts Elderly Waiver members if savings run out, a question families in new buildings often forget. Tour at different times of day, and ask how long the manager and nurse have been in place; new buildings often have new teams.