Our Commitment to Excellence

West Des Moines is dedicated to financial stability, public safety, and a high quality of life. Our consistent top-tier ratings and awards reflect this commitment to our residents.

Financial Stability and Reporting

The City maintains the highest possible credit ratings. This allows us to borrow money at the lowest possible interest rates to fund community projects.

  • AAA Bond Rating: Maintained from Standard & Poor’s since 2005.
  • Aaa Bond Rating: Maintained from Moody’s Investors Service since 2010.
  • Financial Reporting Excellence: Awarded the GFOA Certificate of Achievement for 29 years and the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for 23 years.

National Public Safety Accreditation

West Des Moines is one of the few cities in the nation where all three public safety departments are nationally accredited:

  1. Police Department: Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.
  2. Fire Department: Accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International.
  3. Emergency Medical Services (EMS): Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services.

Business and Community Honors

  • Best for Business: Named the "City Government Most Conducive to Doing Business" by the Des Moines Business Record every year since 1998.
  • Small Business Support: Named the 2022 SBA Small Business Community of the Year.
  • Technology Hub: Received the 2022 Prometheus Award for Technology Community of the Year.
  • Thriving Community: Recognized in 2023 for our efforts to provide housing for all income levels.

Quality of Life Rankings

  • #1 Best Place to Live in Iowa: Ranked by MONEY Magazine.
  • #1 Place for Young Professionals: Ranked by Forbes (2023).
  • #1 Best Place to Live in Polk County: Ranked by Niche.com.
  • Top 10 for Education: Recognized by Movoto as a top small city for education in America.
  • High Resident Satisfaction: Ranked #8 nationally in a Gallup-Healthways survey.