The Waukee Brief
A lot of Waukee works in the Des Moines metro, so if you're thinking about moving here, the commute is a fair question. The short version: it's a straightforward interstate run, a little longer than the inner-ring suburbs, with the usual rush-hour caveats near downtown. Here's the distance, the drive time, and how getting around actually works.
Downtown Des Moines is roughly 17 miles from Waukee, generally a 20 to 25 minute drive via Interstate 80 east to I-235 off-peak, and closer to 30 to 35 minutes at rush hour near downtown. West Des Moines borders Waukee, so the Jordan Creek job and shopping district is only a few minutes away. The airport is roughly 20 miles southeast. For a west-metro suburb, the daily commute stays reasonable.
Interstate 80 runs along the north edge of Waukee and is the spine of the commute. Eastbound it feeds into I-235, the loop that carries traffic into downtown Des Moines and around the metro. Off-peak, the run downtown is usually 20 to 25 minutes. At weekday rush hour, expect it to stretch toward 30 to 35 minutes as traffic bunches up closer to the interchanges and downtown. Because Waukee sits on the western edge of the metro, the drive is a touch longer than from an inner-ring suburb, but it's still a short commute by big-metro standards.
Hickman Road (Iowa Highway 6) and University Avenue run east-west across the metro and connect Waukee toward West Des Moines, Clive, and the near-west side of Des Moines without the interstate. Grand Prairie Parkway and Ashworth Road are the main north-south connectors to reach I-80 or head into West Des Moines. These surface streets are handy when I-80 backs up, though they hit more lights. Locals mix and match depending on where they're headed and the time of day.
Waukee is a car-oriented suburb, so most people drive. DART (Des Moines Area Regional Transit) has served the metro with commuter and express options, so if you'd rather not drive, check its current routes and schedules for west-metro service. For car-free days, the Raccoon River Valley Trail connects Waukee into the wider metro trail network, see our Waukee trails guide. The Des Moines International Airport is an easy 25-ish-minute drive southeast.
For most people who choose Waukee, yes: you trade a few interstate miles for newer housing, strong schools, and space, while staying close to metro jobs, and many residents commute to nearby West Des Moines rather than all the way downtown. Weigh it against where you'd actually work and at what hours. For the full picture, see our moving to Waukee, cost of living, and jobs and largest employers guides.
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Downtown Des Moines is roughly 17 miles from Waukee by car, generally following Interstate 80 east and then I-235. West Des Moines borders Waukee and is only a few miles away, and the Des Moines International Airport is roughly 20 miles southeast.
Off-peak, the drive from Waukee to downtown Des Moines is usually about 20 to 25 minutes. At weekday rush hour it can stretch toward 30 to 35 minutes as traffic bunches near the interchanges and downtown. Where you start in Waukee and the time of day make a real difference.
Most commuters take Interstate 80 east and connect to I-235, the loop that feeds downtown Des Moines. Grand Prairie Parkway, Hickman Road (Iowa Highway 6), University Avenue, and Ashworth Road are the main surface routes to reach the interstate or as alternatives when I-80 backs up.
For most people, yes. Waukee sits about 17 miles from downtown Des Moines with a 20 to 25 minute off-peak drive, and it borders West Des Moines and the Jordan Creek job and shopping district, which many residents commute to instead of downtown. Weigh the rush-hour drive against where you would actually work.
The Des Moines International Airport is roughly 20 miles southeast of Waukee, generally a 25 to 30 minute drive via Interstate 80 and the connecting interstates, traffic permitting.