10 Best Independent Living Communities in Waukee, IA

Independent Living

An Independent Living Community allows residents the chance to continue to live an active life while guaranteeing their fundamental needs are being met. Food preparation, leisure activities and housekeeping responsibilities are handled for you while you are free to use your time as you choose. Along with their daily needs being met, residents can enjoy the opportunity to be among peers, in a community with others of similar ages and backgrounds. Within the individual units, residents have access to their own private living space and a full kitchen, and can even live with a companion if they prefer. While policies differ between communities, numerous residences allow pets as well. If medical or nursing care is desired, residents may always enlist the services of private caregivers. There are a number of benefits and expenditures to keep in mind when deciding on an independent living community. It is important to figure out if these amenities are covered in the care plan: laundry, utilities, Waiting list deposit, initial assessment fee, parking, private phone, meals, and move-in fee. The amenities associated with independent living include private rental hall, healthcare center, game/TV room, transportation, golf course, fitness center & swimming pool, concierge services, and laundry service.

Cost of Living

The community where a care community is based could have a major effect on the price of care. Cost of living is a motivating factor when choosing which community meets the needs of your family. The rent burden for Waukee is about 15.3% of the average person’s monthly income. Monthly, the median rent in Waukee is $1,378 and the median price of a home in Waukee costs around $210,456.

Demographics and Values

Out of the total city population, 51.1% are female and 48.9% are male. The median age of Waukee is 33 years old. Demographically, Waukee is 2.6% Asian, 92.5% white, 4.5% Hispanic, 0.0% Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 3.2% mixed race, 0.7% other or not specified, 0.0% Native American, and 1.0% black. In terms of education, 14.9% have a graduate degree, 16.2% have a high-school diploma, and 53.9% have a college degree. Waukee has a population density of 384 people per square mile. The total population of Waukee consists of 20,649 people. Out of the total population of Waukee, 3.1% are widows, 79.8% participate in the labor force, 2.1% do not have health insurance, and 3.5% live in poverty. In Waukee, 6.7% of the people are veterans of the United States armed forces.

State Information

An overview of Iowa

The quality of life enjoyed by the average Iowa citizen is ranked 14th nation-wide. Additionally, Iowa is ranked 20th by healthcare standards. Residents of Iowa enjoy its natural beauty which ranks 32nd in the United States. There are 120 general hospitals and 75 health centers that provide care for 3,168,703 Iowa residents. The three highest ranked hospitals in Iowa are Mercy Hospital, St. Lukes Hospital, and And Mercy Medical Center – Cedar Rapids. The state of Iowa has a cost of living index of 91.8 where a score of 100 is the national average, and anything below 100 is considered less expensive than the national average. The state has a grocery index rating of 95.9 and a housing index rating of 79.6.

Social demographics of the state

In the most recent presidential election, 51% of Iowa residents voted Republican and 42% voted Democrat. In terms of religious values, 36% of Iowa’s population regularly attend some form of service and there are in total 5,107 different congregations. The top three Christian denominations in the state are Evangelical Protestant-28%, Mainline Protestant-30%, and Historically Black Protestant-2%. The top three non-Christian denominations in the state are Jewish-<1%, Muslim-<1%, and Buddhist-<1%. In Iowa there are 289 masonic lodges. The state has a median age of 38 and 30% of its population being over the age of 55. The state of Iowa ranks 43rd in the country for diversity, and the state is considered LGBTQ friendly.

State-wide weather information

The average air quality index rating in Iowa is 41.2 AQI. The highest seasonal air quality index rating occurs in the month of May with a rating of 53.8 AQI. The average humidity across the state is 72%. Humidity levels tend to reach their peak in the month of December at around 78%. The most precipitation occurs in July with an average of 6.46 inches of precipitation a month. On average, the state receives 2.93 inches of precipitation a month. During the summer, the average temperature in Iowa is around 72F. The average high summer temperature is around 88F in the month of July. In the summer, the average low temperature drops to around 55F during the month of June. During the winter, the average temperature in Iowa drops to around 22F. During the winter, the average high temperature peaks at around 40F during the month of February. The average low temperature during the winter drops to around 4F in the month of January. While residents of Iowa mostly enjoy pleasant conditions, it’s important to be aware of inclement weather as well, which in Iowa can include floods and earthquakes (high).

Wildlife to be found in Iowa

The state of Iowa has a diverse array of plant and animal life. Local plant life can consist of dryflower, twinleaf, western beard-tongue, and cinnamon ferns. While venturing throughout the state, you might see animals such as the elk, the coyote, the mountain lion, or the porcupine. The state animal of Iowa is the eastern goldfinch.