Understanding Des Moines's geography
Why Des Moines's drive times defy radius math.
The Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers converge in the urban core and create minor isochrone notches for sites in the Drake and Beaverdale neighborhoods, but the flat prairie surrounding the metro means that suburban sites from Ankeny to Norwalk enjoy unimpeded circular trade areas. I-35/80 through the metro connects directly to I-235, giving the southwest and southeast quadrants fast access times that inflate isochrones for sites near the interchanges.
The SE 14th Street/Army Post Road corridor in south Des Moines and the Ankeny I-35 corridor are the metro's highest-growth franchise zones — Ankeny in particular has seen significant population and income growth that has attracted most major QSR and service brands in the last decade. West Des Moines along EP True Parkway and Jordan Creek Parkway captures the metro's highest household incomes and remains the priority zone for premium concepts.