Movers Urbandale
Movers in Urbandale, Iowa
Local movers serving Urbandale — from the original streetcar-era homes near 70th Street to the new builds out on the Dallas County side. Hourly pricing, real itemized quotes, same crew start to finish.
12th
Largest city
in Iowa
2
Counties
(Polk & Dallas)
1917
Year
incorporated
Urbandale is a streetcar suburb that kept growing
Urbandale started as a streetcar stop. The original 1907 plat was 160 acres around a rail line that connected to downtown Des Moines, and the city was officially incorporated in 1917 with a couple hundred residents. For decades, Urbandale grew slowly — about 1,800 people by 1950. Then the post-war suburban boom hit, and the city tripled in size in a single decade, reaching 5,800 people in 1960 and 14,400 by 1970. By the 2020 Census, the population had reached 45,580, making Urbandale the 12th largest city in Iowa.
The streetcar history still shapes the city. The original streetcar corridor cut through what’s now central Urbandale — older homes near 70th Street, mature trees, walkable blocks. Around that core, the city expanded outward in distinct waves: post-war ranch homes in the 1950s and 60s, suburban subdivisions in the 70s and 80s, and modern new construction on the west side spilling into Dallas County in the 2000s and 2010s.
Urbandale also spans two counties — Polk on the east side and Dallas on the west. That’s why parts of the city are in the Urbandale Community School District and other parts are actually in the Waukee Community School District. School boundaries don’t follow city lines.
numbers
Urbandale sits at the intersection of I-35, I-80, and Iowa Highway 141, about 15 miles from downtown Des Moines. That highway access is one of the biggest reasons businesses set up here — and one of the biggest reasons moves through Urbandale are usually predictable on timing.
Midwest Moving Pros serves all of Urbandale. We’re a family-owned local moving company based in Des Moines. The crew that loads in Urbandale is the crew that unloads at the new place. The price on the quote is the price on the invoice. No brokers, no consolidated shipments.
A century of Urbandale growth
Urbandale didn’t grow all at once. The city’s neighborhoods reflect four distinct eras, and each one moves differently.
1917
Streetcar era
Original streetcar suburb. Small downtown core, walkable blocks, coal mining as a side industry. About 300 people lived here.
1950s
Post-war boom
Population grew from 1,800 to 5,800 in a decade. Suburban ranch homes, split-levels, and the first big residential subdivisions filled in around the original core.
1970s-80s
Suburban expansion
Family-sized neighborhoods filled in across central and northern Urbandale. Established yards, mature trees, settled subdivisions. The city reached 14,400 residents.
2000s+
Westward growth
New construction stretched west into Dallas County. Many of these neighborhoods are actually in the Waukee Community School District, which has driven a wave of family moves into the area.
Neighborhoods we move across in Urbandale
Different parts of Urbandale move very differently because of how the city grew.
Living History Farms area
The 500-acre Living History Farms sits right off the I-35/I-80 interchange and is the most recognizable landmark in Urbandale. The 1870 Flynn Mansion still stands on the property. Pope John Paul II spoke here in 1979 to 300,000 people. Barack Obama held a campaign rally here in 2012. The neighborhoods around the Farms have a mix of mid-century homes and newer infill, with the museum’s open green space as a major neighborhood asset.
Central Urbandale near 70th Street
The original streetcar-era core. Older homes from the 1920s, 30s, and 40s with mature trees and walkable blocks. The Olmsted-Urban house, built in 1904, is in this part of the city. Tight doorways and older construction shape how furniture comes out — we plan for that.
Post-war neighborhoods
Ranch homes and split-levels built during the 1950s and 60s suburban boom. Established yards, finished basements, family-sized layouts. Common destination for empty-nest downsize moves and starter-family upsizes within Urbandale.
Walker Johnston Park area
The neighborhoods around Walker Johnston Park and the Urbandale Sports Complex — family-oriented, walkable to fields and playgrounds. A common destination for families moving in from elsewhere in the metro who want a settled neighborhood close to youth sports.
West Urbandale & Dallas County side
Newer subdivisions on the west side of the city, mostly in Dallas County. Many of these homes are in the Waukee Community School District rather than Urbandale’s. Newer construction means wider doorways, attached garages, and easier loading on move day.
Charles Gabus Tree Park area
The neighborhoods around Charles Gabus Memorial Tree Park, where the city’s big winter holiday lights display and ice rink draw crowds every December. A mix of established and newer homes in this area.
Apartments and townhomes near 86th Street
Apartment complexes and townhomes along the 86th Street corridor and near the I-35/I-80 access. Most moves here are job-related — new residents moving in for work in the surrounding business parks.
What moves look like in Urbandale
A few things about Urbandale change how a move runs.
Two school districts in one city
Most of Urbandale is in the Urbandale Community School District — but the west side, especially the newer Dallas County subdivisions, falls in the Waukee Community School District. Families moving for schools should confirm the actual district at the new address rather than assume it’s Urbandale’s. Both district websites have address lookup tools.
Easy highway access
Urbandale sits at the intersection of I-35, I-80, and Iowa Highway 141. The highway access means moves out of Urbandale to anywhere in the metro are usually predictable on timing. It also means commercial moves in and out of Urbandale’s business parks are straightforward to schedule around traffic.
fact
Urbandale’s biggest community event is the Fourth of July celebration, with a parade, outdoor carnival, and fireworks. Party in the Park happens twice every summer and draws thousands. Miracle on 86th Street brings holiday crowds to Charles Gabus Tree Park each December.
Older homes need furniture disassembly
Homes in the original streetcar corridor and the 1920s-40s neighborhoods often have narrow stairwells, tight doorways, and original woodwork. We bring disassembly tools on every move — bed frames, table legs, sectional couches, sometimes a dresser top. Whatever needs to come apart to get through tight spaces. Older Urbandale homes also tend to have basements with low headroom and narrow steps. Heavy items going down to a basement — or coming up from one — sometimes need extra crew or different angles than a newer-construction home. We assess that during the walkthrough.
Coordinated with summer event windows
If your move date lands on the Fourth of July weekend or a Party in the Park weekend, streets around the parade and event routes have temporary closures and parking restrictions. Tell us during the walkthrough if your move date falls on one of these weekends and we route around them. Same for the Miracle on 86th Street weekends in December — the area around Charles Gabus Tree Park draws crowds in the evenings and parking gets tight.
Business park moves on the west side
Urbandale has a heavy concentration of office and commercial buildings, especially along the 86th Street and Meredith Drive corridors and toward the I-35/I-80 interchange. Most office moves in Urbandale run on weekends or after hours to minimize business downtime. Our crews work weekend windows at the same hourly rate as weekday moves — no after-hours premium.
What an Urbandale move costs
Our pricing is the same for Urbandale as for the rest of the metro. Hourly rate. No trip charges. No stair surcharges.
$160 per hour covers the crew, truck, fuel, pads, dollies, and basic moving insurance.
Flat $100 add for items too heavy for our standard crew (large gun safes, heavy pianos). That’s the only extra.
$50 deposit holds your local move date and applies to the final invoice. Long-distance moves use a $300 deposit.
Most Urbandale moves fall between $370 (small apartment) and $1,810 (4-bedroom home). The written quote you get after the walkthrough is more specific than this range.
Moving in or out of Urbandale?
Itemized written quote within 24 hours. Same crew start to finish. The price on the quote matches the price on the invoice.
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