Clive is the established west-metro suburb that has had decades to build a real community - mature trees, the Clive Greenbelt Trail, and access to both Waukee and WDM (Valley) school districts. If you're considering a move to Clive, here's the honest assessment from someone who works this market daily.
You'll love Clive if you...
Clive is split between two districts: the West Des Moines Community School District (Valley High School) serves the eastern, Polk County part of the city, and the Waukee Community School District serves the western, Dallas County part. Which one applies depends on the exact address, so confirm the district before you write an offer.
For specific school-level performance metrics, the Iowa Department of Education's School Performance Profiles tool is the most current objective source. I also keep a separate deep-dive on Clive schools if you want every detail.
Clive has several distinct sub-markets, each with its own character: Country Club Glen, Country Club Estates, Hidden Pines, Woodland Glenn. Each has different pricing, character, and target buyer. For specific neighborhood guidance, I work through this individually during the buyer consultation.
8 minutes to West Des Moines / Jordan Creek. 15 minutes to downtown Des Moines.
Clive's roots trace to coal: the Gibson Coal Company began operating in the area in 1881, and residents incorporated the city on August 18, 1956. Its centerpiece today is the Clive Greenbelt, which the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs designated an Iowa Great Place in 2019.
The city lists the Greenbelt Trail at 11.3 miles, with about 5.5 of those miles following the north bank of Walnut Creek, where the city has restored oxbow wetlands in Greenbelt Park. The trail also ties into the Raccoon River Valley Trail, and 2.6 miles of the RRVT run inside Clive. For any home here, the useful check is how close the nearest Greenbelt access point sits.
Prices move month to month, so I keep a dated market snapshot on the Clive area page and pull live MLS comps for any home you are serious about. Days on market vary by price point and neighborhood; I pull the current figure for your price range before we write an offer. If you are starting a search, my Clive homes for sale buyer's guide covers west-metro prices and the neighborhoods to know.
For a current snapshot of Clive inventory + pricing, I send a free monthly Central Iowa market report. Subscribe at Jackson's Hub.
Whether you're a first-time buyer, a move-up family, or a relocation buyer evaluating Clive for the first time, I can walk through what your specific budget gets you here vs. competing communities. No pressure, no sales pitch - just the numbers and the honest reality of the market. If you are a first-time buyer, my guide to house hacking in Clive shows how renting extra space can offset your payment.
Jackson Krile is a REALTOR® on the Flanders Team at RE/MAX Real Estate Center. Licensed in Iowa #S66867000. DMAAR + CIBR member. Serving Central Iowa.
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