$261,501Average Value$211Average Price per Sq Ft18Homes For Sale
Building Beaverdale in northwest Des Moines
Northwest Des Moines’ Beaverdale neighborhood began to take shape and blossom once the old Fort Dodge State Road transitioned to Beaver Avenue in 1903. But it was at the height of the Great Depression when contractor E.T. McMurray built what would become the neighborhood’s most instantly recognizable feature. “Beaverdale was one of the first suburbs of Des Moines, and you'll see homes that look like gingerbread houses,” says Liz Lashier, Realtor with NextHome Your Way who has sold homes throughout the Des Moines metro area. “They’re all unique. It’s called the ‘Beaverdale Brick.’”
These Tudor Revival homes are a tourist attraction at certain points of the year and a historic scene-setter for residents walking to the neighborhood’s staple businesses and restaurants. “We're a small circle within the already small city of Des Moines,” says Alan Tyson, bookseller and social media manager for Beaverdale Books. With a strong neighborhood association putting on annual events, Beaverdale is both one of the largest recognized neighborhoods in the greater metropolitan area and a center for Des Moines community engagement, at times sleepy and at others teeming with visitors.
Beaverdale "Timeless Beaverdale" mural.
Brick Beaverdale homes are a common sight in the neighborhood.
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Tudor-style Beaverdale bricks and beyond
Beaverdale’s signature home style occupies many of its residential streets, and options are often snatched up within a month when they enter the market. “From a real estate perspective people love to own a Beaverdale Brick because it's just full of magic,” says Willett-Rohrssen. “When an owner needs their front door replaced, people are like, ‘No, you need to repair it, you need to keep that work.’ They'll have these great big locks with the huge old keys and rounded tops. You just can't find that kind of architecture anymore.” These Tudor Revivals range in size from cottage-style 3-bedrooms, with prices ranging from $230,000 to $430,000 depending on size and condition. “Your kitchen might only fit one person, and your closet might fit 3 dresses,” says Willett-Rohrssen. “But it's different for each person.”
Minimal traditional cottages, Cape Cods and colonial-style homes are also common, with prices trending lower from $180,000 to $330,000. Most homes are set back from the street with intricate gardens, stone walkways and other landscaping features rather than front porch space. Most homes have detached garages at the end of long driveways, though some were renovated with one-car attachments.
Beaverdale offers single-story homes.
Brick Beaverdale homes are a common sight in the neighborhood.
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Holiday lights on Ashby and the Fall Festival
The Beaverdale Bricks on Ashby Avenue and Wallace Lane have been lighting up the holidays for over 50 years. “If you buy a house there, you have to sign to say that you will decorate for Christmas,” Lashier says. “You drive through in a little ‘U’ and all the houses are decorated to the hilt, and with mechanical things. I always wonder, ‘how they ever get out of their houses?’”
The Beaverdale Neighborhood Association also puts on other events throughout the year that attract neighbors and visitors alike. Food vendors, a carnival, trivia, axe throwing, pottery and live music are on the schedule during the Beaverdale Fall Festival in September. The Easter Bunny makes a guest appearance at Beaverdale Park during the annual egg hunt. The weekly Beaverdale Farmers Market showcases local vendors and live music in the Franklin Junior High parking lot.
Spend the day at the Beaverdale Fall Festival.
Beaverdale Fall Festival live music
Beaverdale farmers market
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Christopher’s, Snookies, and the best Dam Pub in Beaverdale
A mural splashed across the side of Uptempo Music on Beaver Avenue landmarks the community’s shopping district. Painted in 2017 to celebrate the neighborhood’s centennial, the colorful mural shows a large gathering of people, a streetcar train and one of the community’s signature brick homes. Though smaller in scale than other shopping areas in Des Moines like Ingersoll or Grand, a handful of long-standing names recognized throughout the city can be found here. Christopher’s is a revered Italian mainstay still in the same family that opened its doors in 1963. The Dam Pub is both aptly named and large enough to accommodate groups on a Friday night, with bar bites served at indoor booths and a rooftop balcony lit with string lights. A fast-moving line wraps around Snookies Malt Shop when the vintage parlor is open in the warmer months. Other restaurants took hold at different corners of the neighborhood; patrons smell the smoker from a block away before reaching Flying Mango, as seen on Diners, Drive-ins & Dives for its Cajun and Caribbean fare.
Beaverdale Books is a locally owned establishment with a wall of Iowa native authors and tables of both niche community works and frontline novels. An Ace Hardware and Fareway Meat Market are also on Beaver Avenue, and multiple Hy-Vee Grocery Store locations within 1 to 2 miles of most residential streets. Fast food chains like Dunkin and Chipotle surround the Target at Merle Hay Mall, 2 to 3 miles northwest of Beaverdale.
Beaverdale The Dam Pub
Beaverdale The Dam Pub
Beaverdale Christopher's Restaurant
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Commuting throughout DSM from Beaverdale
Beaverdale is surrounded by the “Urban Loop,” a circle of interstates taking drivers to most corners of the metro area. Beaverdale residents can enter at the south end of their neighborhood on Interstate 235 and make the 4-mile commute to downtown Des Moines, or they can skip occasional interstate traffic and pass through northside neighborhoods on Hickman Road and Keosauqua Way. Healthcare workers may be able to stay local, with Des Moines VA Medical Center at their northeast corner. Urgent care services are at Broadlawns Medical Center, 1.5 miles away; MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center and the associated children’s hospital cover other needs from the downtown campus, 3.5 miles away.
Beaverdale gets a Walk Score of 70 out of 100, and many residents are within walking distance of nearby shops and restaurants. Cyclists share the road by using neighborhood bike lanes on Beaverdale Avenue north to south, and Urbandale Avenue east to west. The Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority—known locally as DART—also has stops along major roads, some with benches and shelters. The Des Moines International Airport is less than 10 miles south of the neighborhood, and construction is in progress on a brand-new terminal set to partially open in 2026.
Beaverdale aerial context looking SE towards downtown
Urbandale Avenue provides Beaverdale with a dedicated bike lane bisecting the neighborhood.
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Walking to Ashby Park or biking to Saylorville Lake
Beaverdale has multiple parks, and most residents are within walking distance of one or more. Beaverdale Park and Ashby Park occupy the northern region of the neighborhood and include open fields, basketball courts and playgrounds. Witmer Park lies in the southeast corner of Beaverdale and features an extensive looping trail and a pond often used for fishing. The nearby Merle Hay Mall is home to Flix Brewhouse—a movie theater with a wide menu of drinks and grub—as well as indoor pickleball courts and laser tag for snowy Des Moines winters or rainy spring afternoons.
Bike lanes also trace through the neighborhood, connecting cyclists to the wider trail network that unites the DSM. By heading east to the Inter-Urban Trail, they can bike along the Des Moines River and travel 13.5 miles north to vast Saylorville Lake in Ankeny, or 7 miles south to Grays Lake Park.
Ashby Park features beautiful art in Beaverdale.
Witmer Park walking trail along pond.
Eat lunch at the Ashby Park picnic area in Beaverdale.
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Des Moines schools in Beaverdale
The Des Moines Independent Community School District has served Beaverdale for over 100 years. Kids are zoned for one of a few schools at each grade level depending on home address, though parents can apply for a within-district transfer the year prior to enrollment. Moore Elementary School and Hillis Elementary School each score a C on Niche, while Perkins Elementary School scores a B-minus. Merrill Middle School scores a C, while Meredith Middle School scores a C-minus. Meredith is also a recognized International Baccalaureate World School, along with Hoover High School, scoring a C-plus. The Gothic-style Roosevelt High School building has spots on both the Iowa and National Register of Historic Places; the school scores a B from Niche. Both Hoover Huskies and Roosevelt Roughriders can complete Advance Career Training Programs downtown at Des Moines’ Central Campus for community college credit. Des Moines is also home to many private and faith-based options, like Holy Trinity Catholic Church & School on Beaver Avenue, which serves kindergarten through Grade 8.
Monroe Elementary offers a robust academic curriculum.
Welcome to Holy Trinity Catholic School in the Beaverdale community.
Students can attend Perkins Elementary in Beaverdale.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Andrew Bruellman,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Parks in this Area
Witmer Park
Bike Trails
Fishing
Picnic Area
Ashby Park
Grills
Picnic Area
Tennis
Tower Park
Basketball
Grills
Picnic Area
Beaverdale Park
Bike Trails
Grills
Picnic Area
Riley Park
Grills
Picnic Area
Playground
Inter-Urban Trail
Bike Trails
Trails
Hiking
Transit
Airport
Des Moines International
16 min drive
Bus
Leado Ave & 30th St, Dsm
Bus
Franklin Ave & Beaver Ave (Far-Side), Dsm
Bus
Beaver Ave & Ovid Ave, Dsm
Bus
Beaver Ave & Adams Ave, Dsm
Bus
Beaver Ave & Ashby Ave, Dsm
Bus
Franklin Ave & 38th St, Dsm
Bus
34th St & Witmer Pkwy, Dsm
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Beaverdale
US
Homicide
3
4
Sexual Assault
3
4
Assault with Weapon
3
4
Robbery
3
4
Burglary
4
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
3
4
Larceny
4
4
Crime Score
3
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Beaverdale, Des Moines sell after 28 days on the market compared to the national average of 47 days. The average sale price for homes in Beaverdale, Des Moines over the last 12 months is $260,171, up 4% from the average home sale price over the previous 12 months.
This is a Beaverdale location! This two-story home, with 2400 sq ft., is located less than a block off of Beaver Ave, in the heart of Beaverdale! This home has been more than cared for. It has been loved! Impressive main floor that will immediately catch your attention with the design and layout of space to balance a quaint traditional Beaverdale feel while also providing large space to love
Welcome to this charming & spacious Beaverdale gem, located on the highly desirable Davisson Road! This lovingly maintained home offers 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms all on the main level, including a relaxing jacuzzi tub. The front living room is warm & inviting, centered around a gas fireplace with classic brick surround. Hardwood floors lie beneath the carpeting throughout the main level,
Don't miss your chance to own this hard-to-find, updated gem in the heart of Beaverdale! This charming 2-bedroom, 1.5-bath home sits on a spacious lot and is packed with features you'll love, both inside and out. Step inside to a bright, inviting layout filled with natural light and character. The finished basement offers additional living space, perfect for a second family room, home office, or
Welcome to 2800 30th! Beautiful 1 Bed-1 Bath Apartments tucked in 30th ST and Leado ST are a perfect home for you!Near walking trails and popular neighborhood eats, just minutes from Drake University and Merle Hay Mall. These wonderful units have fresh paint on the walls and clean flooring ready to make memories. Along with an onsite coin operated Laundry and Off-street parking.
Step into a charming two-story, two-bedroom duplex layout, where your neighbor resides just next door, sharing a driveway for convenient parking. As you cross the threshold, be welcomed by an expansive living area that gracefully flows into an open kitchen. Ascend to the upper level, where all bedrooms await, accompanied by a well-appointed full bathroom. A partially finished basement offers
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Andrew Bruellman,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Total Population
8,871
Median Age
42
Population Density
7 ppl/acre
Population under 18
20.6%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
21.7%
On par with the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$76,022
Above the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$94,694
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
96.3%
Above the national average
89.1%
College Graduates
50.9%
Above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
15%
% Population in Labor Force
71.5%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
36''
Average Winter Low Temperature
14°F
Average Summer High Temperature
85°F
Annual Snowfall
45''
Area Factors
Bikeable
Bike Score®
61/ 100
Very Walkable
Walk Score®
70/ 100
Some Transit
Transit Score®
28/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
