Published November 4, 2026 in Market Update

North and south of 1st Street are not moving the same way

By Steve Stych

Real estate, Ankeny

Most people talk about Ankeny like it is one market. The Real Estate Data Aggregator numbers for the three months ending August 31, 2026 say otherwise. South of 1st Street, the median home sat for 23 days before going under contract. North of 1st Street, that number was 56 days. That is more than a month of difference, and it shapes what a fair price looks like on either side.

CNBC reported on November 4, 2026 that homebuyer applications nationally were 19% lower than a year ago. That is the backdrop for both sides of Ankeny. Even so, the two ZIP codes here did not respond the same way.

South of 1st Street: ZIP 50023

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 260 homes sold in ZIP 50023 in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is up 7% from the same months in 2025. The median sale price was $350,000, which was down 5.4% from a year before. So more homes sold, but prices dipped a little. That is worth keeping in mind if you are setting a number.

Nearly 4 in 10 homes here went under contract within two weeks of listing. The Real Estate Data Aggregator put that share at 39.7%, up 9 points from a year ago. Homes that did sell closed at 99% of list price on average.

North of 1st Street: ZIP 50021

North of 1st Street tells a different story. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 275 homes sold in ZIP 50021 in the three months ending August 31, 2026, up 29.1% from a year before. The median sale price was $340,000, up 7.9% year over year. Prices moved up here while they dipped to the south.

The slower pace is real, though. Median days on market was 56 days, 12 days longer than the same period in 2025. Only 24% of homes went under contract within two weeks of listing, down 6.4 points from a year ago. More homes are available here too. The Real Estate Data Aggregator showed homes for sale up 16.3% from a year before.

Side by side

What the wider picture looks like

Across both ZIP codes together, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 535 homes sold in Ankeny in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is up 17.3% from a year before. New listings were up 17.1% as well, at 507 total. More homes came to market and more sold, which is a healthier sign than a lopsided gap between the two.

Nationally, Realtor.com reported on November 4, 2026 that pending sales were down 10.5% year over year, the steepest decline since October 2023. Ankeny's combined pending sales were up 8.2% over the same period a year ago, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. That is a meaningful difference from the national trend, though it does not mean every home here sells without effort.

Rates are a factor for buyers on both sides of 1st Street. CNBC reported on November 4, 2026 that the average 30-year fixed rate was 7.3%. Realtor.com noted rates peaked at 7.40% in mid-October 2026. That kind of rate affects what buyers can afford, and it shows up in how long some homes sit.

One more thing worth saying: even within each ZIP code, one street can read differently from the whole. Prairie Trail, for example, carries its own HOA and its own price range. Uptown Ankeny has older housing stock that does not compare directly with newer north Ankeny construction. The ZIP code numbers give you a solid starting point. Your specific address gives you the real answer.

If I missed something you were wondering about, let me know. I am happy to dig into a specific street or price range for you.

Talk soon, Steve