Clive is the suburb that gets overlooked because it's wedged between two bigger names - West Des Moines to the south, Urbandale to the north - but for a certain kind of buyer, Clive deserves a serious look. It's smaller (population just under 20,000), more mature, and built around the city's signature Greenbelt Trail and creek corridor. If your priorities are established character, an established district, and a community that has had decades to get its quality-of-life details right, Clive belongs on your list.
I've worked with buyers across every west-metro community, and Clive shows up most often for two types of clients: buyers who want move-in-ready ranch or two-story homes in a stable, leafy setting, and downsizing sellers from West Des Moines who want to stay close but trade in 4,000 square feet for something more manageable. The pitch lines up for both.
Clive has done something rare for a metro suburb: it has preserved meaningful green space inside its boundaries. The Clive Greenbelt Trail follows Walnut Creek through the city, and with its neighborhood connections it adds up to about 11.3 miles of paved trail you can walk, run, bike, or push a stroller along. For a lot of buyers, this is the single most decisive factor. For more on daily life near the trail, my complete guide to living in Clive covers homes, schools, and the market.
The schools are the other anchor. Clive is split between two metro districts: Waukee Community School District serves the western, Dallas County part of Clive, and West Des Moines Community School District (Valley) serves the eastern, Polk County part. Both districts publish results on the Iowa Department of Education profiles.
The location is straightforward suburban excellence. From central Clive, Jordan Creek Town Center is about 10 to 15 minutes away, downtown Des Moines about 15 minutes, and major West Des Moines employers like Wells Fargo and Athene about 10 minutes, depending on traffic - and you're surrounded by retail and restaurant options in every direction.
Country Club - A 640-acre residential lake community near the I-35/I-80 junction, built around Country Club Lake, with a mix of homes and townhomes and direct access to the Greenbelt Trail.
Clive Greenbelt corridor neighborhoods - Homes with direct trail access or a backyard next to the Greenbelt are a big draw for many buyers.
Newer construction on the northwest side - Developments such as Shadow Creek, in the Waukee Community School District, offer some newer builds. Availability is limited, so buyers who want a truly new build often look in Waukee as well.
Clive students attend either:
Waukee Community School District - serves the western, Dallas County part of Clive. It runs two high schools for grades 10-12 (Waukee High and Waukee Northwest), and its APEX program focuses on career-and-college readiness.
West Des Moines Community School District (Valley) - Valley High School is the West Des Moines district's main high school. It offers academic, music, athletics, and AP programming.
Which district your specific Clive address is in matters a lot. School district boundaries within Clive are not always obvious from a map - I verify district assignment for every Clive address I show, because it directly affects both the lifestyle decision and resale value.
For specific school-level performance metrics, the Iowa Department of Education's School Performance Profiles tool is the most current objective source.
| Destination | Drive time |
|---|---|
| Downtown Des Moines | About 15 min |
| West Des Moines / Jordan Creek | About 10-15 min |
| DSM International Airport | About 20 min |
| Ankeny | About 25-30 min |
| MercyOne West Des Moines Medical Center | About 5-10 min |
I-235 / I-80 / Hickman Road / University Avenue all touch Clive. Commute flexibility is one of the city's quiet superpowers - there's almost always a backup route during rush hour.
Clive's prices vary significantly by neighborhood; the dated Market Snapshot above has the current figures. The Country Club area and Clive's older established neighborhoods sit at very different price points, so specific comps matter more than a citywide average. For a buyer's read on prices and the neighborhoods to know, see my guide to homes for sale in Clive.
Most of Clive is already developed, so the bulk of what comes up for sale is resale of existing homes. This makes Clive a true resale market - when you list a well-prepared Clive home that shows well, buyers respond quickly.
For investment buyers: Clive is not a strong rental cash-flow market. Home prices relative to achievable rents make ROI tight. House hackers who buy a single-family and rent rooms can make the math work, but pure rental investment is rarely the right move here.
Are there any new construction options in Clive? Limited. Most new construction in this corridor is happening in Waukee, Urbandale, and the far west edge of the metro. If new construction is non-negotiable, Clive is probably not your fit - but if you're open to a 2000s-era home in great condition, you have many more options.
Is Clive worth the price premium over similar homes in older West Des Moines or older Urbandale neighborhoods? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. It depends on which Clive neighborhood and which alternative neighborhood. I'm happy to walk through specific comps if you're weighing the decision.
How are Clive property taxes? The actual annual property tax bill is driven by assessed value, the homestead exemption (Iowa converted the homestead credit to an exemption starting with the 2026 assessment year), and which school district you fall into.
Will Clive ever build new shopping or commercial development? Some - but the city is largely built out. Big new retail typically goes to West Des Moines, Waukee, or Urbandale instead.
Clive is a mature, well-loved community with limited inventory and durable demand. It's not flashy, it's not "the next hot suburb" - and for many buyers, that stability is the appeal. If you want stability, trees, an established district, and a central west-metro location, Clive belongs on your list.
If you're weighing Clive against other west-metro options and want a clear, comp-driven picture of what your money buys here vs. elsewhere - I do that analysis for every client during the buyer consultation. Honest numbers, no sales pitch.
Reach out: Jackson Krile · Flanders Team · RE/MAX Real Estate Center · (515) 490-8614 · househackjack.com
Looking across the west metro? Urbandale is directly north, mixing established neighborhoods with new construction across six school districts. West Des Moines is directly south, split among several school districts, and quick Des Moines access. Waukee is west - newer inventory and Waukee schools, further out.
Search live listings or get a personalized plan from someone who works this market daily.
Clive spans Dallas and Polk counties in Iowa.
The main ZIP code for Clive is 50325.
Clive had 18,601 residents in the 2020 Census, and the Census Bureau estimates 19,861 as of July 1, 2025.
Clive is split between two districts: the West Des Moines Community School District serves the eastern, Polk County part and the Waukee Community School District serves the western, Dallas County part. Confirm the district for a specific address.
Clive is about 10 miles from Des Moines in a straight line, measured between the two cities' Census internal points; the drive is longer.
Sources: US Census Bureau (2020 place-by-county file; 2020 Census and July 1, 2025 estimates via QuickFacts; 2024 Gazetteer internal points); the State of Iowa ZIP code table; district names from the Iowa Department of Education directory and the districts and cities themselves, as summarized on our Clive schools page.
Urbandale (2 mi) · Windsor Heights (4 mi) · Grimes (4 mi) · West Des Moines (4 mi)
Straight-line miles between Census city points. See every area on the map